No matter which way you look at it there is now a clear pattern forming which has resulted in Swansea City missing out on success and club development - and that’s been highlighted since relegation from the Premier League.
Appointing managers very astutely and then dismantling it when it looks like it’s coming good is madness. Let’s have a look at some examples.
Graham Potter is a free hit I suppose, after one season at Swansea he was head hunted by Brighton and they paid a considerably large compensation fee for his services. At the time little was done to encourage him to stay with the millions on offer from Brighton to take him to their club. The belief the Swans could return quickly to the Premier League had failed and the club were one manager down.
Now we know the next appointment was the catalyst for the American majority ownership to start their ‘manipulative’ strategy to impose their will on Swansea managers. Promising much, delivering little and failing to utilise the parachute payments positively. Over time this causes disillusionment and a feeling of being undervalued. Steve Cooper was a success at Swansea, and despite his football not being the most pleasing on the eye he made two consecutive play offs. The second saw the Swans make the Wembley final which they lost to Brentford.
It was literally two days after that we reported a problem. And had an exclusive on a pre planned meeting between Cooper and then CEO Julian Winter. You have to ask the question why a manager with two play offs behind him would be undervalued at all.
That’s here —> Cooper told how it is
Cooper had already hinted at issues.
Steve Cooper wanted a pay rise, and that was deserved, he didn’t get what he wanted and he also requested support to take the team forwards and go that step further and get back to the Premier League. That didn’t happen either. He was told to get on with what he had at his disposal. The Swans hadn’t invested massively and the frustration was evident. It was almost as if the majority ownership felt he was being a naughty schoolboy, they rapped his knuckles and waved him away. Within a week a package was agreed for him to leave and the Swans lost their best hope of returning to the top flight. It was football suicide and we all know what happened when Cooper went to Nottingham Forest then bottom of the Championship. He took them up straight away.
He had backing.
Why these decision makers at the Swans take things so personally when they are on the cusp of success is baffling. It’s only now they have spent a little bit, but that’s only what they’ve brought in over the summer bar Joel Piroe. He’s the big sale that pays for them to run the club with no actual player investment. With Steve Cooper gone the search for a replacement went viral, many names were mentioned and one almost made it - but the replacement was a relative unknown yet again in Russell Martin.
Again without analysing his tactics and strategy which we loved here at the Indy, others will disagree he found himself unsupported when he really needed it. That January window ( yes, it was still only this year ) was a time those with even the remotest foresight could see the head coach needed his ambitions fulfilling. Irrespective of any who disagree, and when you review what came after that - even the minutest display of support may well have seen the Swans in to the play offs. A completely disillusioned Russell Martin we now know was waiting for some support from elsewhere. It came in the form of Southampton. His planned trip to Washington DC was cancelled and the Saints got their man.
Martin had already said very clearly the whole January thing affected him mentally, so once outcasted by the majority ownership he really was left seething on the sidelines. His meeting in London in the afternoon of the Millwall away game in March was the catalyst for Martin. Whatever Steve Kaplan ( majority owner ) said, both seemed happy with the outcomes. The Swans run after that game was formidable. It’s really questionable why the clubs decision makers couldn’t see the Swans had found a fluid style and two years of graft was coming to fruition. We will never know but had the Swans made the play offs I’m certain they would have walked them.
They were untouchable.
Now we have Michael Duff who despite his Championship managerial inexperience ( clearly on display ) there are new bridges to cross. He won’t be relieved of his post as quickly as certain sections of the Swans support want. How the club reacts as the season progresses and why Steve Kaplan is involved again - contacting Duff when there’s really nothing in his profile at the club to indicate why he needs to is a big red flag.
The past should always give you learning points for the future, it really hasn’t been the case since relegation from the Premier League. Despite clear examples of improvement under these managers there just doesn’t seem to be a will to take a leap of faith, and at least listen to them because the missed opportunities to date are glaringly obvious.
Hopefully new Chairman Andrew Coleman can see the mistakes of the past and at least motivate his head coach this season with enthusiasm to support him when and where he needs it. Otherwise we will just be starting all over again asking the question, why ?