The Swans take on the Blades tomorrow evening in the gloom of a derby defeat as players report in at Fairwood today. Assistant, Alan Sheehan takes over whilst head coach Luke Williams and club Chairman Andrew Coleman, freshly back from a weekend trip to northern Holland as sporting directors, recruitment / scouting / agent type people in the midst of a transfer window with twelve days to go.

With a home game on the horizon (7:45pm) KO at the Swansea.com, and a total lack of despair within a passionate fanbase it’s hard to see some positive light at this moment in time. We can only cheer ourselves up with visions of Luke and Andy rolling about on the floor of an Amsterdam bar hugging each other laughing and forcing special cakes down their throats. The feeling that the loyal Swans support are in the midst of a nightmare so real now after four of the most miserable away defeats in many fans memory, and three this month.

The start of this month and a few days before when Luke indicated we had two targets close to approval to sign and Harry Darling supposedly ready to agree a new contract seem a lifetime away now. Playing two centre backs with a cumulative age of sixty eight years between them in an FA Cup game with big profit thrown away was proof if anyone needed it of the current state the club are in. If our information is right, and nobody has the overarching knowledge on everything, Coleman is again playing every role the club has available. From heading up negotiations in a failed bid for Josh Low, the Wycombe centre half, to having to manage the fall out of those comments that Luke Williams made regards his links to West Bromwich Albion - the guy must be absolutely knackered. He has taken on so many roles that some would consider far and away another persons job to the extent his fingers are in many many pies. No Sporting Director for months and a decision not to employ another person of that title but to have a more rounded individual able to take on a variety of roles is one thing. Not employing anyone to do so to work with recruitment head Martin Hodge should now be seen for what it is. It’s another money saver whilst agents have swarmed over the club in recent times with all manner of suggestions as to who the Swans should review.

The club system in the Championship is generally to have a cadre of people not employed by any club permanently to do your groundwork. That is the general and acceptable way of going about your early transfer business. Not prescribed, but it’s an early way of targeting individuals and of course alerting their agents of interest. Or at least avoiding such things as this weekends mercy mission, four men and and a contract if you like. Approaches to the club cost nothing, employing specialists to assist your recruitment does, and it is to be seen again as another cost cutter. Many club owners are just that, delegating and ensuring the best people are doing the best job for you.

The Swans financial status isn’t good as we have reported already this month.

However, what we do know is that these players the club are trying to source in the Netherlands do come recommended, and this isn’t the work of the head coach or Chairman on a whim. The question for us will always remain as to why they are doing it whilst the club is in a form of freefall. The targets if to be believed are a ball playing centre back and a midfield / winger, an obvious area where the Swans need assistance. Unfortunately having spent fairly large sums of money on Florian Bianchini, Franco, Vipotnik and Eom the expected returns are minimal next to not a lot. Whatever fee the Swans agreed for Myles Peart-Harris seems pretty pointless. If you go back as far as the signings of front men/attackers in Ronald, Mykola and Jerry Yates, again for around 4,5 million pounds, it seems to be a series of collective mistakes in amongst a series of more collective mistakes.

That aside this upcoming game will see the Swans support in a place they haven’t been in a very long time. This will be reflected in the home attendance as faith and goodwill is slipping fast. Both Ben Cabango and Harry Darling will no doubt receive some thorough attention today, the players both patched up for the derby game. An assessment as to the players overall ability to go into this game positively will be made, but there is little to choose from, however Sam Parker is a pleasing sight. He will take time to adjust again, and the non involvement of Josh Ginnelly against Cardiff is a sure sign he is being very slowly reintroduced.

Despite reports Azeem Abdulai (below) is still to agree terms with Leyton Orient, and he will be in discussions to progress the move today and tomorrow. With his agent Godfrey Torto alongside him it seems a strange move for Azeem. Especially when you read our report into the player and his agent from around eighteen months ago.

⚽️ Torto & Azeem

From being likened to Jude Bellingham by some, Azeem it seems after a season of pretty poor out of position performances is on his way to a league one side just outside the play offs. He knows Brandon Cooper, both players have been together in the Swans academy. Brandon joining the O’s in September 2023 on a permanent deal. This all seems a bit ill informed. Azeem hasn’t had the best of seasons. Much of that blame has to be placed on Luke Williams continual desire to play Azeem on the right side of the park in an attacking role. A decision anyone can see over his numerous appearances this season is completely incorrect. That isn’t his fault. A player who spent some years at Celtic and then Leicester before coming to the Swans has had a season of bit part participation and for us has been completely mismanaged.

It all has the feeling that this is a player who has unfinished business on his mind.

Whatever team we see tomorrow evening they are up against a Sheffield United side right in the thick of it at the top of the Championship. A game which we will be reviewing a lot more before tomorrow evening.

Photographs Open Source & with permission Swansea City AFC

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