Russell Martin believes his side will turn around their form on Sunday for the visit of Bristol City. (12.30pm) KIck Off at the Swansea.com stadium. Looking forward to the weekend he believes his side is well set up for the fixture, and is confident Swansea City can win the game.
The amount of learning Martin, his staff and players are getting from those tough games since the turn of the year will set them up for the rest of their careers by all accounts. " This is about taking responsibility together, taking accountability together” Martin does reflect back to January often, some would say like a broken record but that’s clearly a time when he gained the most learning about being a football manager at a high level. And of course the promises which never seem to materialise.
Reflecting as well on Millwall on Tuesday Martin said. "We watched it with pride from the sideline, they enjoyed the feeling they had on the pitch. They’ve been energised by it. They enjoyed the connection they played with. We didn’t get anything from the game somehow, I’m excited about Sunday I think it set us up really really nicely”
Ollie Cooper will return on Sunday but Joe Allen is out for at least two more weeks. Liam Walsh has overcome his knock from Millwall but still faces some rehabilitation if he is to be included this weekend. Andy Fisher and his ‘difficult’ few weeks ? The head coach sounded frustrated when questioned on his keepers vulnerability. "Yeah we’ve all had a difficult few weeks right ? He actually played really well against Middlesbrough, so yeah, it is what it is I think Fish is in a place of acceptance where he accepts he is in a tough period. A lot of us have been. There’s nothing he can do about that now, they only thing he can do is to try and really feel that and use that to help get through on Sunday. As the rest of the players will, amd we will and we will be fine. If we play with the same courage we did and the same spirit we did on Tuesday. If we play like that on Sunday we will be excited to see what team we can be”
On his substitute goalkeeper Andreas Sondergaard again Martin sounded slightly edgy when questioned on his ability. "As you guys keep reminding me we’ve been on a really poor run, so to then chuck a young guy in who has never played a first team game, I’m not convinced that’s the answer. So, we will help the guy through that we really believe in, and bought here, and he’s having a rough period at the minute. Football is up and down it’s a tough, tough game so we will help him through it. If at some point we feel we need to make a change then Andreas will have to be ready for that”
"We have to play with the same courage and togetherness that the did on Tuesday, that they did at Luton, especially on the second half as they did against Boro. We just have to keep working and keep believing in what we are doing”
With the game almost upon us and an exciting early kick off scheduled this is a game the Swans must win and win well. It will further their confidence for the derby in a few weeks time against Cardiff City which still goes ahead with a 3pm kick off on Saturday April 1st, of all days.