New Derby County loan signing, Jerry Yates has talked for the first time about his season at Swansea City, and the hurdles he felt affected him. From Michael Duff and promotion expectations to his own contribution it seems he understands the reasons why he is for now, a Derby County player.
Speaking to Leigh Curtis, Yates pointed straight away to the struggling start the Swans made under new head coach, Michael Duff in August last year. On his poor start, and indeed the clubs concerning first few months of the season, Yates looked away from his own personal performances to point to the clubs real issues off and on the pitch. On his loan move recently he said, "I half knew it was on the cards. I wouldn't say I had a good season there - it was a learning curve, let's put it like that. We weren't doing well at the start under the new gaffer Michael Duff, we struggled a bit and were in a bit of a relegation battle”
Yates continual issues in front of goal were exacerbated by a continual problem of failing to take even the most easiest of chances presented to him. He came into Swansea as a ‘marquee signing’ of sorts. A decent sized transfer fee and expectation he would fit in to the role Joel Piroe had left behind him when he joined Leeds United. Well, at least on the goalscoring front. His start was decent a goal at home on the opening day last August against Birmingham City, but from there he struggled. His forty three appearances, not all starts, saw him deliver eight goals and one assist in the league. He scored again at home to Coventry City to take his tally to two goals from three league games, but the decline then started. His final thirteen appearances of last season saw no goals from the striker. Before that his previous thirteen saw just the one goal at home to Ipswich Town.
What frustrated Swans fans the most was his lack of ability on the ball, holding it up became a real issue, a desire to fall over too much and failing to get in to positions you would have thought would be natural for a striker were evident. And then of course his failure to convert the easiest of chances. On that Yates stated, "Swansea at that time wanted to get promoted, I completely get that. There was a lot of change within the club and as I say, things don't settle sometimes. It just didn't end up working out for me and maybe a couple of others."
For us change off the pitch doesn’t affect the ability of a player on it.
Possibly one of the ‘couple of others’ was Mykola Kukharevych, a near two million pound signing from Troyes. Of course many will point to the fact he hardly had any game time at all, and when he did he scored away at Millwall. Yesterday he bagged a goal in a friendly behind closed doors game at Fairwood, (Swans training ground) in a 3-1 win over Swindon Town. We hope he is retained, but if one more striker is to leave it will be him. Liam Cullen has made it more than clear that this is his last season to prove a point at the Swans, and Luke Williams agrees. Mykola would surely be first out of the door ?
It’s all about attitude and behaviour, dedication and determination this season for Mykola. We will leave that there, but Liam has it in abundance, it’s just his level of quality that is often referred to.
Going back to Jerry Yates, of course he is still a Swansea City player, but a decent season with even an above average goal return could persuade the Rams to sign him permanently. That isn’t the detail for this season, it isn’t agreed as a loan to buy for Derby, but let’s be honest a purchase would happen if he excels. A loan to buy isn’t practical in this case with Jerry having much to prove. However, the Rams have to pay his full season salary and bonuses of around £12,500 a week and there is no return for Jerry in January apart from injury of course. That saves a big wedge from the Swans salary bill.
On his new club’s chances this coming season Jerry is positive, "I am looking to help the boys and help them win games. I'll see where the season takes us. Ipswich went back to back and won promotion. I look at their team and there was a lot of togetherness and I see similar attributes in our dressing room too so why not ?”
It’s a huge season for Jerry, if he fails again his career will most certainly take a downward spiral and a return to Swansea will be inevitable for the last year of his contract. He really has to pick up on what he didn’t do last season, learn from it and develop himself both physically but it his own mind. Ally McCoist, the ex Glasgow Rangers player believes fifty percent of a successful goalscorer is having the mental ability to overcome challenges. Jerry has a load to prove, and now he has to look at himself not elsewhere to justify his bad season last time around.