The changing timeline of when Andrew Coleman became Chairmen of Swansea City caused a stir yesterday, our twitter account getting well over eleven thousand views and increasing, which sent website views here in to their many thousands as well.
All we were pointing out yesterday, which now seems to be a bit of conundrum was the appointment date of Andrew Coleman. Plus the different dates that have been reported by the club. Some may be thinking, ‘Well, what does it matter’ ? and without qualification it probably is just that. We’ve never questioned Coleman’s absolute desire to get his tenure right and to communicate that to the supporters. Some of the misnomers reported have been challenged, but it’s generally soft soaped by lengthy responses or in some cases not answering the questions at all.
However, on this occasion we have to raise questions on why on the day the club declared their finances for the July year ending 2023 that Andrew Coleman declares himself Chairman from the day after on August 1st 2023 ? Now this may well be easily explained, although it’s hard at this time to even come up with a reason. Coleman was appointed by the club as Chairman on May 5th 2023. It’s on the greatest time stamp in the world.
The internet.
So why now say this in 2024 ?
Andrew Coleman was in charge at Swansea City, making decisions as a newly appointed Chairman from May 5th 2023. The concerns we have regards the running of the club are highlighted periodically on here, as are the better news stories, however this season it has been difficult to remain positive.
We are also finding it very difficult to believe that Swansea City AFC already had their budget in place before the end of last season. That’s the indication from Chairman Coleman two days ago. That needs clarification. Coleman was there on May 5th 2023 as Chairman, at that point the season had not finished. Without knowledge of that summer’s player trading to come why would you plan what you don’t know ? The last game of the season came later that week, a 3-2 win against West Bromwich Albion. Russell Martin was the head coach, and reportedly no moves had been made to sack or remove him, and at that time no clubs had been in contact with him. So, Andrew Coleman was Chairman before Martin’s leaving on Wednesday 21st June 2023. That’s some six weeks after the new Chairman was appointed. People will again ask, ‘So what’ ? Well, with the Russell Martin situation now heading for court, and Martin being sued for two million pounds when he left the club under Andrew Coleman’s watch, there’s further room for clarification. Surely a raised eyebrow is the response with this latest revelation he wasn’t Chairman until August 2023 ?
We know that Russell Martin had met with Andrew Coleman as head coach before his departure.
Coleman is also credited with these comments on June 21st 2023, reproduced in the Daily Echo in Hampshire, "Due to the compensation complexities and the legalities of the process, it has been difficult for either myself or the club to comment on Russell's departure to Southampton. We will continue to fight for what we are owed and you should expect us to do just that."
Make your own mind up. Chairman or not Chairman ?
There are a plethora of communications where Andrew Coleman either refers to himself as Chairman or the club and press do. He attended the pre season training camp in Spain last summer (as Chairman) and thereafter referred himself as Chairman prior to August 1st 2023, and talked of his appointment of Paul Watson in June 2023. "In any business, it is rare to find someone who is universally praised for their character and capabilities. Paul is one of those few people”
That’s below.
Andrew Coleman has always maintained he is the person who calls the shots at Swansea, Jason Levien mentioned this upon the Coleman’s appointment in May 2023. With that in mind are we now saying he made those decisions but not the questionable ones until August 1st 2023 ? Did he spend a whole three months not making any decisions when it’s clear he did ? He has distanced himself from the financial return of a few days ago by stating, and with a raised eyebrow again he had nothing to do with those financial decisions. Well, apart from Michael Duff being appointed, as well as Paul Watson, getting his personal friend to agree to come over to Wales in principle and many, many other financial and definitive decisions, before August 2023. You see you can’t have it both ways. You either were or you were not. As a Chairman you either made those decisions or some mystery figure we don’t know about did. Nobody else is asking the questions and coming up with valid reasons, in fact since we have highlighted some questionable decision making (be that the LLC in the USA, appointments, sackings etc) the whole thing seems to be greeted with a shrugged shoulder.
People seem happy with long drawn out statements with nothing actually being said, or a ‘hello’ from the Chairman to appease them. We know how much Andrew Coleman wants to succeed, be that for him or indeed the club. We support him fully in his vision. However, here we are again with the profile of the club in question. Maybe the head of communications can stop scurrying about every morning with photocopied reports from this website for the Chairman and concentrate what is in front of him ? Someone isn’t doing their job properly, and the Chairman seems happy that he is, so who is looking after his back ? Certainly not the people he allows to be paid to do so. And from a communications point of view they are clearly not seeing what is coming from a whole year of ‘Chairman’ quotes. Possibly they just don’t have the ability to do their jobs and advise the Chairman he is making statements that just don’t match up ?
Either way, you make your own mind up, it’s what we all do when presented with certain facts. However, mind your backside when that spring loaded door whacks you on your rear end. The mysteries continue in SA1.
Read yesterdays report here —> When then ?