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THERE COMES A TIME WHEN EVERY FOOTBALL CLUB HAS TO BE HONEST WITH ITSELF AND TAKE THE KIND OF TOUGH DECISIONS THAT SECURE ITS FUTURE. That’s the point Swansea City has reached. The decisions taken since relegation was confirmed have not been easy ones or ones necessarily supported by the fans. But they are ones designed to safeguard the long-term health of the club.
After seven years in the Premier League, relegation was a bitter pill to swallow. Revenues decline dramatically - even when you factor in parachute payments - and you are inevitably left with players determined to leave the club.
In our case, matters were made worse by transfer mistakes we made in an attempt to survive in the Premier League. We are quite literally paying for these now.
But we cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves because that will be be perceived as a point of weakness that other clubs will try to leverage against us.
Relegation has to be seen as a rebirth for Swansea - a chance to press the reset button.
Instead of constantly being on the back foot fighting for survival, we want to be rebuild our club on a strong financial footing with an exciting brand of passing football and players who are eager to improve and hungry to achieve.
Graham Potter In Graham Potter, we have an innovative coach who has already shown an ability to play an exciting style of high-quality football with players determined to be successful. Graham and Kyle Macaulay have done a tremendous job bringing in young and talented footballers.
We understand fans have expressed disappointment and frustration with the transfer window but there had to be a cultural change.
The squad was in need of an overhaul because we had players who simply were not going to be part of Graham’s plans and players who made it clear they did not want to play for Swansea City in the Championship. To try to keep those players has a corrosive effect on the club as a whole.
We had to make hard decisions and we did. Every decision taken, though, was for a strategic reason as part of our restructuring. As a result of this window we have improved our financial footing and have positioned ourselves for a stronger and more secure future.
There is still work to be done because the loan market is still open and we will do everything we can to support Graham and Kyle in the immediate weeks before the market closes.
In terms of recruiting players, again we had to be disciplined as we could not - and would not - put the club in a position where, in our view, the fees and wages demanded were not in the best interests of Swansea City. All money received from player sales has gone back into the club.
We have brought in young players who want to be part of Swansea’s future and we believe there is a nucleus of talent and desire here now.
We don’t expect everyone to appreciate these words or the decisions taken and there will be negative views out there.
We understand this has been a hugely painful time for everybody associated with Swansea City and there can be no denying that. Our response is to fight and try to build for the future.
Graham asks his players to be brave, to rise above the culture of fear of mistakes and to work hard to constantly improve. We must ask nothing less of ourselves.
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 05:49 - Aug 11 by jack247
‘We cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves...as that will be perceived as a sign of weaknes that other clubs will leverage against us.’
What do they think selling 4 out of 5 centre backs, sending the Ayew brothers out on loan and taking a massive hit on Clucas after 1 season does? Topped off by a wild goose chase of Potters top target. There is very little they can do to make us appear any weaker financially. I’m not sure if they are underestimating the fan base, other clubs, or just bullshitting knowing no one will believe them.
I took that as on field weakness that other clubs will take advantage of.
I fully agree. Last thing we need is a negative atmosphere for opposition to grip on to.
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:30 - Aug 11 by E20Jack
I took that as on field weakness that other clubs will take advantage of.
I fully agree. Last thing we need is a negative atmosphere for opposition to grip on to.
You interpreted that completely differently to me. Your version may well be what they were getting at, it suits their narrative much better.
I agree, a toxic atmosphere is definitely not needed at games, which is possibly what they are getting at with ‘cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves’ but as for ‘weakness that other clubs could leverage against us’ if you go into the loan window with a threadbare squad, other clubs are going to know you are desperate and leverage that against you.
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Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:09 - Aug 12 with 1019 views
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:03 - Aug 12 by jack247
You interpreted that completely differently to me. Your version may well be what they were getting at, it suits their narrative much better.
I agree, a toxic atmosphere is definitely not needed at games, which is possibly what they are getting at with ‘cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves’ but as for ‘weakness that other clubs could leverage against us’ if you go into the loan window with a threadbare squad, other clubs are going to know you are desperate and leverage that against you.
Well considering the transfer window is over and he/they are very much talking in the present I can only assume that's what they are talking about, it makes more sense than the alternative.
The loan market is a mutually beneficial deal. Clubs only put players on the loan market because they are not in plans and want them off the wage bill. Making a player available for loan is a weak position in itself.
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:09 - Aug 12 by E20Jack
Well considering the transfer window is over and he/they are very much talking in the present I can only assume that's what they are talking about, it makes more sense than the alternative.
The loan market is a mutually beneficial deal. Clubs only put players on the loan market because they are not in plans and want them off the wage bill. Making a player available for loan is a weak position in itself.
It is, but we aren’t the only club who are going to want to utilise the loan market. As a Championship side with one senior centre back (not counting Rodon yet), one fit striker for the foreseeable and missing the Woods type player our manager wants to make his system work, we are clearly going to be one of the most desperate. That’s undoubtedly a position of weakness that can be leveraged against us.
I suppose the advantage we do have, is that any club loaning us a centre back or a striker, will be fairly certain they will be getting game time.
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Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:40 - Aug 12 with 1000 views
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:26 - Aug 12 by jack247
It is, but we aren’t the only club who are going to want to utilise the loan market. As a Championship side with one senior centre back (not counting Rodon yet), one fit striker for the foreseeable and missing the Woods type player our manager wants to make his system work, we are clearly going to be one of the most desperate. That’s undoubtedly a position of weakness that can be leveraged against us.
I suppose the advantage we do have, is that any club loaning us a centre back or a striker, will be fairly certain they will be getting game time.
Rodon can absolutely be relied upon and the confidence in him within the club is obvious. No reason for me to doubt that, we have heard lots about him over the years and the types of clubs that have also admired him.
I agree the squad is thin. I agree we need to bring some in. But I can also see why we would t shell out £6.5m or whatever it was when we look in the context of where we are. It was said by that journalist that the price increased and we pulled out. I personally genuinely find that assuring.
This loan market is not a concern for me at all. They aren’t going to charge us more than other teams of 2 clubs are interested. The loan market is there to develop players, reduce wages by getting them covered elsewhere and covering holes for the “buying club”. It isn’t really the same as the transfer market and the rules of supply and demand are not really the same.
As you say a move to us is preferable as there is a high chance of game time and also a project that looks pretty rewarding technically. I don’t think our situation will make loan fees ramp up, I think our situation hives us the upper hand over clubs if anything.
Kaplan and Levien to make a statement in full on 07:40 - Aug 12 by E20Jack
Rodon can absolutely be relied upon and the confidence in him within the club is obvious. No reason for me to doubt that, we have heard lots about him over the years and the types of clubs that have also admired him.
I agree the squad is thin. I agree we need to bring some in. But I can also see why we would t shell out £6.5m or whatever it was when we look in the context of where we are. It was said by that journalist that the price increased and we pulled out. I personally genuinely find that assuring.
This loan market is not a concern for me at all. They aren’t going to charge us more than other teams of 2 clubs are interested. The loan market is there to develop players, reduce wages by getting them covered elsewhere and covering holes for the “buying club”. It isn’t really the same as the transfer market and the rules of supply and demand are not really the same.
As you say a move to us is preferable as there is a high chance of game time and also a project that looks pretty rewarding technically. I don’t think our situation will make loan fees ramp up, I think our situation hives us the upper hand over clubs if anything.
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