The second part of our three report series is here. The final one we hope to have with you in the coming days once some legal eyes have been run over it.
The decision was made at the very end of November by Swansea City Chairman, Andrew Coleman and US based businessman Jason Levien to sack Michael Duff. Levien who is to all intents and purposes running the show at Swansea is always on top of Swansea matters. That said, albeit from thousands of miles away and despite what anyone tells you, no decision is made at this level without consulting Levien.
You would have thought Coleman would have done his homework on the availability of a potential successor. Possibly sounding out representatives of available managers or utilising Paul Watson to dig in to his reportedly huge wealth of knowledge to assess the situation. After the sacking of Duff, Coleman stated he was learning from the decisions he has made since being at the club. Most of which have proven to be detrimental to Swansea City, and now clearing a pathway for falling gates, supporters getting restless and most importantly there’s talk in the football arena that Swansea City are to be avoided.
The latter of these claims has been confirmed to us by numerous agents, ex players and journalists, and as we stated earlier this month it doesn’t take long for these issues to circulate. We were challenged a week ago when Coleman stated he wasn’t rushing in to a new appointment because he wanted to get the new manager right. First off, wise words ? Of course. Unfortunately the evidence within this search seems to point to a series of managers stating they are happy where they are or in the case of Chris Davies a preference to reject Coleman’s terms to join the club. (some will tell you it was the Swans who backed off when they saw his compensation package and salary to come to Swansea) Some responders to Coleman’s statement when we pointed this out was ‘ Well, why would he say he’s being turned down when he can say his search is taking longer than expected’
Oh, so you would rather he lied ?
The issue as people are slowly coming to terms with is that Swansea City want to appoint a new man on the cheap. The salary range is ridiculous, no new appointment would ever come to Swansea City when they are comfortable and successful at Manchester City, Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur. It’s ridiculous to think otherwise. It has to be increased. The salary on offer we are told comes with certain commitments, incentives and at such a low rate is not attractive for a true professional head coach. The Swans have a history of plucking managers out of the blue, Graham Potter who came in on a very low salary, Steve Cooper we know for sure was on £100,000 a year. Russell Martin slightly bucked the trend but he wasn’t on a lot more when you take in to consideration his staff and compensation that had to be paid. The Swans appoint unknown names in general, and do so cheaply, and that’s exactly what is happening now.
And oddly when it starts to go right they sack, encourage to leave or pressurise the manager with a lack of funds, refusal to increase their salary, or as is the issue currently with Southampton, create a situation that can only go one way. To the benefit of those concerned in litigation, who are currently attempting to reach a settlement. It’s a tedious mess at Swansea, the lack of experience at the top is incredibly obvious, they have a defence mechanism in place which means before this article is even cold they will know of its content. Coleman stated he is learning, well, he isn’t. He isn’t learning from previous mistakes made before he came to the club, and he most certainly isn’t learning from his own. These are just words, and any football fan who has watched the game can see his deficiencies clearly.
The only person who can’t is Andrew Coleman. And of course the package that is Ken Gude, with his own family move, cars, salary, schooling, and a whole host of extras - it really is a financial mess. If the Swans were to offer anywhere near the salary of Coleman and Gude they would have already got their man, he would be in place, and at least the club would have some direction. This won’t happen of course because any conversation with the American majority ownership will be alarm bell number one. A review of the salary on offer is alarm bell number two. And of course football talks, from the top to the bottom, and information carries. That’s alarm bell number three.
We could go on.