The Only Way From Here Is Down

How high can we go? That's the question everyone is asking now that Swansea City have broken the 50 point mark in the Premier League. However, former Swans player and football agent ALEC JOHNSON explains why the ambitions of Swans fans should now actually turn away from the top of the table...

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By Alec Johnson

Ignore the negative title - readers of my previous Forza Swansea blogs and those that engage with me on Twitter understand that in over 10k tweets to date you would struggle to find a single negative message.

However, looking at our perennial and lofty position suggests small steps of progress since our arrival in the Premier League, and a realistic acceptance that this is as far as it goes for us.

It's certainly not the end of the road, but the vision and ambition must now switch to consolidation and cup runs, not attacking the big fellas occupying the spaces above us. Rolling that dice is the recipe for Portsmouth, or even our nasty neighbours.

While it's a privilege going into the final matches without any pressure, there is a feeling of complacency in the club - not on the pitch but among so many fans.

Last weekend we won at St James Park. No, this wasn't against Exeter in the bottom division, but the Premier League version and so called 'Giant of the North', Newcastle. Yet so many fans were moaning like a bad mother in law. Our gang of international heavyweights were getting slaughtered by the East Stand's loonie brigade.

Cups: Where Swansea's ambitions should lie in the relatively near future

Back in the real world, a recent report showed that in our past 100 seasons we average a league finish in the mid thirties out of the 92 clubs. I was surprised that it was that high after our past fifty years which realigns our place at an ugly 57th - that's League One as we know it.

Also currently looking at the seven clubs above us, only 11 seasons in that period has one of them not won the league, so we're in great company up there.

Yet some still aren't satisfied.

The ambition within the club remains in tact, capable of satisfying a modern day Caesar; adjusting the goals year on year to recruit better players, attract more commercial partners, build the Swans brand globally and invest in the club infrastructure.

All of this will secure our status as the stable and efficient top half club in the Premier League, slowly helping us to lose the 'over achievers' tag often bolted onto our brand. We can expect exciting news through the close season relating to more lucrative deals for pre-season tours, merchandise, expansion and commercial partnerships.

It's an advantage that our board sees no limit to the possibilities and won't settle for mid table in any facet of the Premier League. Collectively they don't accept the realism of our position and that ambition has no bounds.

So, given the fifty points racked up this season with two winnable and two dodgy games left, a mid fifties total is on the cards. That exceeds my optimistic pre-season forecast of 49 by some so it's difficult to see how much further we can go than what we've achieved this season, perhaps other than adding a big fat FA Cup title to our cabinet.

This record breaking season deserves some real fanfare to sign it off as it may not get better than this. The only way is down; but please resist from singing 'the Jacks are staying up'! That pain relieving song is unwelcome in these parts, despite many predicting that we would be singing it for the past four seasons.

The Jacks are here to stay.

Why external investment is a positive move for Swansea City

Every Swansea City fan has their opinions when it comes to foreign investors' interest in the club - "Yes it's a brilliant opportunity" or "No, not now, not ever". We're lucky to have Forza Swansea's ALEC JOHNSON - a man always in the know - here to explain why accepting the investors is actually a great move for the Swans.

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By Alec Johnson

Most debates surrounding Swansea City right now all hover around the subject of international investors - do we stick or twist?

I'm definitely in the twist camp. Let me sell you the benefits of not just accepting the opportunity, but also embracing it as an exciting development.

Firstly, this cannot be compared to Cardiff or Birmingham takeovers, where complete control is handed over to a foreign loony and the board had no choice but to save their club.

Also, comparisons have been made to previous American ownership in the shape of Liverpool and Man United where the club has been used to saddle the debt of purchase within the football club. This practise is illegal in mainland Europe, so by nature this attracts foreign investors to our shores. This is because leveraged debt is legal in the UK and, despite decades of profit at these clubs, they carry the debt of their owner's loans.

Our position is entirely different, and while we don’t require external investment to survive we certainly need it to grow.

Big decisions for Huw.

There are also many benefits to a wide group of shareholders with minority interest in any business, particularly when the investors span different backgrounds and geography.

Tapping into the new circles of corporate America or China elevates us to a new league and securing our financial future in the process. Also, we are not talking about bankers or miners here - the Americans can teach us a thing or two about sports marketing and monetising the asset of sport in the business community. Having run big American sports club for long periods, there is an established depth of sponsorship history that can be exploited together with the brand building exercises for deeper fan bases.

The best and most difficult thing in any company structure is to achieve external investment without relinquishing control. Selling a successful business isn’t as difficult as you would think. The board are not going to do that at Swansea City. There is almost an infinite number of private equity groups and family estates that would buy a growing and successful company. The number of groups interested in large investment without control is tiny by proportion. If our board have unlocked that door then they’ve found a golden key for our club.

The challenge will be to value the business.

Typically a multiple of the recent trading year's profit is considered, with ten being the typical multiple to determine value. Given the published profits are around £15m per season, the club is worth approximately £150m. However a premium is placed on the growth potential and balance sheet.

I would argue that Swansea has enough bling and potential to attract a multiple exceeding ten but most investors want control to pay more. They won’t get control at Swansea. What they have is a route into the glamorous showcase of the Premier League.

This is what Usmanov has at Arsenal - trophy ownership and an investment in a club that he can attach himself to. Other investors merely want a return in dividends or future share sale. I suspect this would be the motivation of any minority investor in Swansea and that’s fine by me.

On an emotional level, the chips are high for our club. Four years of Premier League, profit, stability and debt free. This results in an all-time high for their relatively modest investment of £50k each to save our beloved club just over a decade ago. Who can begrudge them of a pay day that can help secure their personal future?

Yes they have a duty to the fans and have a social responsibility that they take very seriously. Diluting their personal shareholding is totally acceptable. They will not leave us exposed in any way - while money changes things, it won’t change their love for the club.

Meanwhile the tension between investment into the squad and the stadium is a healthy one. Both need constant investment and history suggests a budget of around £15m per season into the playing staff. This is the approximate budget required for the club to accommodate the next batch of fans waiting to join the Premier League bandwagon through expansion.

Are they glory hunters? Quite possibly. But Swansea need to invest in a whole generation of future fans, converted to the club for life, like ourselves. It’s an investment into the next few decades. The seats will sell out given the relatively modest addition to the capacity. The best players also want to play in the best stadiums. Our Liberty needs that third tier.

So fast forward nine months - the cranes are up, finishing off our shiny new East Stand but the squad hasn’t changed. Cue the calls for player investment, but the £15m has gone into the stadium. A few injuries and we slide down the table. Monk is under pressure and the board start taking a few bullets.

This scenario scares me a lot more than having some American billionaire investing into our club, making us stronger in every way. Every way besides the romantic notion of complete fan ownership, which is pretty much where we are today.

It’s served us very well for the past decade but we’re in a different universe now. Stick or twist?

Visitors to Swansea are welcomed by the message ‘Ambition is critical’ and we need to remind ourselves of this message.

This is a time for us all to let the head rule the heart!

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BEWARE: Leave the Swans at your peril!

After watching Michu getting hauled off for Napoli on Sunday, ALEC JOHNSON considers why any player that leaves Swansea with a greedy motive tends to end up sitting the rest of their career out on a bench.

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By Alec Johnson

It’s Sunday, 21 September and our former glory boy Miguel Michu gets his first start in Serie A for the perennial underachievers, otherwise called Napoli.

Just over 8,000 people are there to watch Udinese beat Napoli 1-0, with a frustrated Michu and equally miffed Argentinian hitman Gonzalo Higuain shooting blanks once again. The truth is that neither has scored a league goal this season.

So why did Michu - once worshipped in this part of South Wales - force this move?

Yes, Naples is a nice place to live but he won’t win anything there unless Maradona comes out of retirement. The games are played out in front of half-empty stadiums which themselves are crumbling, none worse that the Stadio San Paolo, as the 900 over there with me last February will confirm.

But it's not just Michu's decision to move that's puzzling. We also have our Spanish-now-Arabian brothers... what's all that about? Moving to a start-up football club in a league with average crowds less than Ashleigh Road on a Sunday morning. It's cash and lifestyle over club and country. That essentially finishes the careers of Pablo Hernandez and Chico Flores.

Add Ben Davies and Michel Vorm to the ever-growing list of evacuees and you start to see a pattern developing. While Ben is at least getting some Thursday football over at Spurs, Michel hasn’t put his gloves on yet. One year ago he was the Netherlands’ number one, now he is Spurs’ third choice. While accepting that Vorm actually didn’t choose to leave, he did choose the destination and clearly hadn’t considered the options fully.

Nice hat Danny - shame about the bench.

Roll back a few more years and it’s Darren Pratley, Dorus de Vries, Sam Ricketts and Danny Graham all scrapping around in the Championship having, in their own small-minded way, forced through exits from our club. Nobody on this list bettered themselves and none of them would find a place in our squad today. No doubt we have become a stronger club, but have they all gone backwards?

I believe so.

The greatest disappointment of the lot was our hero Scott Sinclair. In his final match for us he scored a stunner in a 5-0 win at Loftus Road, before leaving for a club where he played 78 minutes in the whole next season. What a waste of a raw talent that would have continued to improve within our environment.

Sinclair on the bench - a familiar sight.

Swansea City give players the freedom to express themselves, playing with confidence that forces technical improvement. This is also not a club that carries the weight of great expectation so the fans don’t turn on you with every mistake.

We feel that we are on the journey together and Saturday’s awesome spirit through the stadium as everybody sang for the entire second half confirms this. We barely touched the ball yet the attitude was one of togetherness. That itself is very rare in football.

So, the loyalty is reciprocal, as is the success of the players and the club. Nobody needs to leave for a few pieces of extra silver or an opportunity to play for their country (unless you’re English of course) as the land of opportunity is right here. The club now compete on salary in the richest league in the world, the city provides a fabulous lifestyle and the management encourage players to play. What more would you want in a football career?

Welcome to the most successful football in Wales, and the best run club in football.

The Swans' first game: a brief chat between Chris and Alec

After the first game of the season producing three fantastic points for Swansea City, I thought it would be a good idea to have a chat with ForzaSwansea's resident former Swan and football agent Alec Johnson for his reaction and to see what we can expect from the season ahead.

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Chris Carra: So, a 2-1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford... I can't say I knew of anyone who thought that was very likely to happen, especially after the poor showing against Villarreal the week before. Was it a shock three points for you?

Alec Johnson: Well I wasn't confident until I saw the team sheets, then it all changed. I actually tweeted that we would score a late winner, believing that Gomis would get the important goal. United were also very poor and lacked movement and pace, which helped our cause. We caught them at the right moment in the season.

CC: Yeah, United were quite ordinary on Saturday, although I don't want to sound like I'm taking anything away from the Swans' performance. What do you think we did right against van Gaal's men?

AJ: It was our shape. We were back to our solid best. Protect the back four, get the wingers working within ten yards of the fullbacks and be patient. It paid off in the end!

CC: It certainly did. It wasn't a flawless performance though, especially the opening ten minutes where nerves seemed to play a part. But I guess that was to be expected. What do you feel could have been improved on?

AJ: Our ball retention. We certainly panicked for patches and kept giving it back to United, which is understandable for the season kick-off. Plus I felt our wingers didn't have a go at their vulnerable full backs when given the chance, especially Nathan Dyer against young Tyler Blackett.

CC: On to next week where Swansea will take on the 'new boys' Burnley at the Liberty Stadium. After the first game do you reckon this will be an easier three points?

AJ: Not necessarily - it will still be a very difficult game and they will be right up for it. Sean Dyche will allow no easy ride. However if we approach the game with the right attitude we could get a decent win.

CC: Can we get an early score prediction? 

AJ: I'll say 2-1 or 3-1 to Swansea.

CC: That sounds about right. I'm going to say 2-0 to Swansea. Now, more generally speaking, let's look at our key players this season. I'm enjoying Montero from what I've seen of him - the kind of kick and chase player I've always loved to watch. He'll be very important I feel. What about you?

AJ: The most important for me will be Siggi, as Michu was in previous seasons. Playing the system we play relies so heavily on the 'ten' floating between the lines and he can do just that. As for the player I'll enjoy watching the most, I'd say Gomis edges this over Siggi, simply because we haven't had pace up top for two decades. Suddenly we have speed, which will force teams to sit deeper against us, opening up pockets of space around the park.

CC: Taking a great leap nine months into the future and the season is coming to an end. Where are Swansea City in the Premier League table?

AJ: I believe we will be in our usual spot of top of the middle bag, hovering around mid-table all season. We'll be safe by Easter. If I'm being more specific we'll be 8th with 49 points by the end, beating our best finish and points tally in the Premier League. I also fancy an FA Cup run - that trophy is a missing piece for us and I'd love us to have a right go at it.

CC: I think most Swans fans would happily take that! I'm going to say we'll be around mid-table too - these days that is the safest bet! I think I learnt my lesson when I had a fiver on Swansea to finish in the top six last season... 

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Thanks to Alec for having this little chat - make sure to follow him on Twitter. We'll be catching up again very soon. For now get in touch with your season predictions via Twitter or on our Facebook page!

Alec's Napolitano tour: "I came, I saw, I survived!"

Swansea City's adventure in Italy will forever be remembered as one of the most memorable away matches in the club's history for both the occasion and performance. ForzaSwansea's ALEC JOHNSON took a trip to South Italy with 900 other Jacks to cheer on the Swans... and he survived! Here's how he got on:

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Before the journey

That wonderful saying "see Naples and die" had another twist ahead of the Jack Army's visit as the Welsh media seemed to believe we were stepping into a first century gladiator battle instead of a Europa League game!

My stock response to the danger was "we will all be fine", but I eventually gave up telling people that I wasn’t going to die in some Italian battleground. Yes you have to be cautious, but having previously survived the San Siro and Stadio Olympico, I travelled feeling comfortable in the fact that it wasn’t going to be my final journey.

Alec (centre), Eli and their Italian friend Alessandro

The destination

If you wanted a degree of comfort in the company of fellow Jacks along with transport provided to the stadium, there were three clear choices: Naples, Rome or Sorrento. We opted for Sorrento as it was close, but not too close to Naples. Also we knew that Jim White SCFC tours had the round-trip sorted with a pre-arranged police escort, flashing lights, an English boozer, a rowdy mob and a sing song.


Before the match

As me and my boy Eli strolled down the Corso Italia in Sorrento looking for the proposed meeting place for Swans fans, we could hear the English Inn a few hundred metres before arriving. Hymns and arias followed by 'the scum came up and they’re going straight back down' blasted out across the peaceful town.

On arrival, there were around 30 or so Swans fans inside, most looked like they had been there since breakfast. The barman, Fabio, was draped in a Swans scarf with a Swans badge on his collar and he too joined in the songs albeit without understanding what the hell 'the scum' were or who Ki Sung Yeung or Vincent Tan may be.

Six Perronis and two hours later, we headed back to our apartment unbeknown that a group of Sorrento Ultras strolled in shortly after. Now, this bit is baffling: they approached the Swans fans who remained in the pub, asking if they would like to have a fight. Have times changed or is this a cultural thing? Back home, bottles would have been thrown across the bar and there would have been no polite invite to have a fight - it would just kick off.

Catching up with several other groups staying in Naples, they encountered the exact same experience. So it seems that anybody visiting Napoli in future just needs Italian lessons not body armour.

Alec and co on the SCFC bus to the San Paolo

The San Paolo

The Sorrento mob were first in a good half an hour before kick off, greeted by hundreds of riot police and a dozen Liberty stewards. None of either group spoke the other language so the entire translation was delivered by Alessandro, a friend of mine from Milan who had come down for the game.

The San Paolo is the worst of the big old stadiums in Europe - beyond basic to the point of being third world. Horrific facilities with the only catering being pre-packed sandwiches and Ritz biscuits to munch on from your plastic bucket seat. However, the atmosphere generated from the two curva ends was deafening. 15,000 thousand at either end and they didn’t stop all game. Despite our constant singing we did feel drowned out.

Alec's view from the away end

The match

Oh how different it could have been. The Emnes chance in the first ten minutes. Bony one on one. Ash's late header. Bony's spin and volley. Our pace cut them open time and time again. We looked threatening on corners and they were very un-Italian in their defending of set pieces.

Pablo created havoc drifting around between the midfield and Bony did the same up top. He’s found his home in there and it will be interesting to see what happens when, not if, Michu returns. The turning point in the match came with bringing Neil Taylor on and playing people out of position. Nothing against Taylor but he isn’t a left midfielder and it was unfair to ask him to play it. It also wiped out our pace and width which is a huge part of our game and we never looked the same.

The Napolitano nutters

The riots

What riots? Despite the shockingly late arrival of the Rome and Naples port buses, the police did a fantastic job in keeping the supporters apart. The reputation of police aggression and a history of inciting riots wasn’t on view last week.

If anything their ignorance of multiple incidents of supporters throwing missiles was far too tolerant - almost as if it was accepted behaviour for us to be dodging Coke bottles. Even the customary 30 minute lock-in after the final whistle was relatively calm and they seemed to clear the surrounding escape routes very quickly with the help of half the Italian police force and a few copper choppers.


Post match

Going out of the Europa league at this stage is a safe exit I believe. We have bigger battles to win and any Jack would have taken elimination in Napoli at the knock-out stages back in July when this all kicked off.

We can be very proud of our achievements and have to keep the memories fresh, as it could be a while before we have the opportunity to experience a European tour once again. Onto West Brom and an anticipated three points that will go a huge way to securing our status as the only Premier League team in Wales next season.


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Why Financial Fair Play is perfect for Swansea City

While each transfer window is getting less entertaining thanks to UEFA's Financial Fair Play Regulations, it's good news for Swansea City! Our blogger ALEC JOHNSON gives us an in-depth look at the positive impact Financial Fair Play has had on teams like the Swans.

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By Alec Johnson

"Should I stay or should I go..."

I sang this Clash classic a few weeks ago at a party - very badly - and it relates to the mindset of the players through the madness that is January...

It’s been a boring month. The transfer windows are becoming less and less exciting as each window delivers less drama than the previous. Our lot at the Liberty don’t get poached anymore, so we don’t brace ourselves for the big boys to come calling with the sole aim of dismantling us to put our stars on their bench.

What’s happened? Has 'the Swansea way’ influenced Mansour and Abramovich? Not a chance.

A few years back, Blatter and his merry men introduced this Financial Fair Play concept. Initially it was perceived as an anti-Premier League initiative to control the spend levels that were directly linked to domestic dominance of the Champions League.

The sceptics considered it merely a headline act as the bully boys with the thick chequebooks manoeuvred around it through inflated commercial deals. But the reality is that this 90-page book is actually having a very direct and positive effect on the beautiful game.

This gruelling monster of a document basically comes down to two things: the club’s responsibility to pay tax and salary commitments, plus controlling the losses within a period covering a few seasons.

Is this just a bark from UEFA? The early action to ban Malaga from 2014 tournaments suggests that this is serious and there is a bite to go with the bark.

The initial objective was to drive parity across European football, to counteract the surge of foreign investors in the Premier League, plus the massive imbalance of the media revenues. However, it has since extended into the domestic leagues and the clubs are policed into running prudently.

In real terms the figure of £15m of losses cannot be exceeded over a three season stay in the Premier League - if this is breached and the owner doesn’t invest real capital (not loans) in the club then points are deducted.

Should we be concerned at Swansea City?

Absolutely not. This represents the only chance for us to grow and prosper. We have been operating this way for 12 years and the profits delivered in the last two seasons allow us to over invest and gamble if we wished to do so. Although that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

Should our neighbours up the M4 be concerned? Of course not. They won’t be in the Premier League for three years so they can take their debt into the lower leagues and have their points deduction elsewhere.

Other clubs are responding in a variety of ways: Liverpool aren’t overspending anymore, Man City are in selling mode (look at Tevez, Adebayor, Barry and even Sinclair) reducing their losses by half, Newcastle sell more than they buy which is also the case with most clubs.

Chelsea’s response to the regulations has been to throw out expensive fringe players like De Bruyne, Mata and Essien. This trade sale is unheard of at Chelsea. They cannot afford to invest in new players without selling - it’s all changed!

Few have the cash to splash. However Arsenal fall into that category after years of prudence. Their strategy to build stability and add a wordie per season is mirroring the Bayern approach for the past decade and just look what has happened to that lot. Arsenal’s goal is to finally compete at the top table and the Financial Fair Play model should allow them to do so, while reducing the ticket cost for their fans being a direct benefit.

I am sure that Financial Fair Play will evolve through the years as its merits are challenged by the club’s legal teams. However one weakness in the system is that the purchase price of a player can be spread across the duration of a contract, so a £30m acquisition on a three-year contract shows as £10m within the financial accounts - watch out for those ten year contracts!

So the new era is here, together with a whole new world of opportunity for little Swansea City and the few proper football clubs to pick up the trophies.

Let’s enjoy it.

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Swansea City - Our expert dissects the first five months!

In the final blog post of 2013, ForzaSwansea's former Swans player ALEC JOHNSON gives us his expert opinion at the half-way stage - who's impressed and who hasn't? Which were the best and worst games? And what should we be looking forward to in 2014? Read on to find out!

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By Alec Johnson

This is our golden era! Let’s have a look at the first half of our third successive season in the most exciting and competitive league on earth.

Expectations
It’s amazing what a few successful seasons do to people’s minds. I find myself preaching to the newbies that this is as good as it gets while reminding the oldies of the dark trips to Torquay and Hereford every year. Earlier in the season Laudrup was merely managing expectations by stating that an investment of two hundred million would be required to get us to the next level. He’s not wrong and despite the significant profits in the club there isn’t a spare safe to break open, nor would I want there to be.

Best players
Despite our mediocre results, individual performance levels have been consistently high through a number of key players. Ashley Williams has been his usual self and remains our rock at the back. Leon hasn’t had enough play time but hasn’t given the ball away or lost a tackle for around a decade now. Nathan Dyer has scored some crucial goals and his presence ensures that we are on the front foot - we miss him every second that he isn’t on the pitch for his mercurial abilities in the final third.

This time last season, our Michu was considered to be the player of the year and the find of the decade, however this season he has really struggled to make an impression. People question whether he was a one-time hit but I have no doubts about our talisman and I can't wait until February for his reappearance.

The definition of 'best player' could be interpreted in many ways: most exciting, most goals, the greatest man of the match performances... irreplaceable? This leaves us with Ben Davies, who tops it for me. He is truly irreplaceable and, while he doesn’t receive many man of the match awards, he is a consistent nine out of ten. His game has developed to provide attacking options, goals and his runs create so much space for other players. Add to this his ability to win headers from set pieces at both ends and he is certainly my most valuable player this half of the season!

Best newcomers
We have a few contenders after splashing a record amount last summer. It’s fair to say that most have settled and all have contributed. Looking at them individually, Jonjo looks to be a shrewd addition given his age and initial outlay of £5m. His influence grows in each game and as he matures he will be a top player for us. Just behind him Canas delivers the best value signing after arriving on a Bosman (free transfer!) - he acts as a third centre half and does the dirty bits very well. At the back Amat is growing in stature and for me is close to dislodging the inconsistent and erratic Chico, who has gone slightly backwards. Amat’s positional play and reading of the game is exceptional for such an inexperienced player at this level and £2m looks a steal.

Up front, Bony divides most opinion in a way others like Scotland or Fallon did before him. I could write a whole article on the big Ivorian and may do so later in the season. It's taken time for him to settle and much criticism comes from the fact that he isn’t the hardest working player on earth, but he is making progress. People need to appreciate what he does offer and not what he doesn’t. He was bought to hold the ball up and bring people into the game and this he does very well. I can’t remember another striker doing this at the club as well in recent times.

Now, here’s where I put my tin hat on. This guy can play, and score, but we have to be more adventurous to get the most from him. First thing is to play him every game from the start. Secondly, let’s throw it in there, let him fight for it, get bodies around him for the second ball and he will score or at worst create havoc. At Villa Park on Saturday I counted four balls knocked into him in the box - that’s with 77% possession. He makes the runs, dragging people with him, but becomes disillusioned with the lack of ambition and opportunity. The other reason that he has to play is the shape of the team - he sits far up field without wandering into deep positions maintaining our shape and leaving our midfielders to dominate the possession across the middle third.

Worst newcomers
The final new additions add almost no value in my opinion. Pozuelo has been a major disappointment and lacks pace and strength, He has amazing feet and a football brain but he just doesn’t affect games or hurt teams. Alvaro simply shouldn’t be at the club - if we wanted an athlete to run around we could have gone to the Harriers and recruited better.

Best game
To date, we have underperformed against the big boys and haven’t got close to threatening any of them over 90 minutes. We have the ability, but seem to lack the mentality and belief. Laudrup’s public comments stating that certain teams are not in our league have receded, however you do feel that the mentality hasn’t changed. Therefore, in previous seasons, though a victory against Arsenal, Man City or Liverpool would have won the ‘best game’ category we have to look at victories of equal importance but less eye catching headlines this time out. I’m going for the 3-0 victory over Newcastle who arrived at the Liberty on a long winning streak, yet we dominated every minute of that game and seemed to play with far more tempo and belief. More of this in 2014 would be nice.

 
Worst game
Losing to our neighbours! Having witnessed so many derbies where we triumphed through greater passion and determination, the reverse was the case this time. Was it having too many foreigners? I don’t think so - we beat them with our fair share of them three years ago. Are they better than us? Nowhere near. They simply worked harder. Having been the club looking up at us for the past few seasons, it’s been painful for them and they had their moment of glory at the cost of three precious points, pride and the suffering of the 2,000 Jacks in their ‘soon to be red’ stadium. Let’s move on.

What next?
We are hours from January and the usual mayhem that surrounds it. As per all previous transfer windows I expect us to end the window stronger than we start it. The rumours of Moses, Sterling, Ince and Aspas all seem very far-fetched for different reasons. I expect Laudrup to deliver a few pearls from another planet and therefore off everybody’s radar. Without Michu we need another spark in the Borini or Siggi mould, both January additions, somebody to buzz around the final third and deliver end product to our beautiful game. Beyond January, I expect the second half of the season to deliver the 25 or so points required to maintain 10th position. My hope is that Michu and Dyer return quickly to their best as they offer the most penetration and unpredictability. My belief is that they will return as strong and that we will take some big scalps and knock our neighbours back into their dirty hole before their shambolic relegation party.

It all starts against the richest club on the planet and I can’t wait.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ForzaSwansea Exclusive: Toshack is back with the Swans!

The Toshacks have always been a big name with Swansea City. In 1978 John Toshack joined the club as a player manager and took his team from the old Fourth Division right up to the First Division in four seasons. He remains the most successful manager in the history of the club.

But it's not John who has returned to Swansea City (yet...). His son Cameron, who was part of the Swans squad in the late 80s, has followed his father's managerial lead and, since August this year, is back with the club as coach of the under 21 squad!

And it's a great pleasure to have former football agent and now ForzaSwansea writer ALEC JOHNSON catch up with Cameron - discussing his relationship with his father, his thoughts on the club as it is now and the future of Swansea City's youth.

Take it away Alec!

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Alec Johnson: Welcome back to Swansea City Cameron! The club has changed a bit since you were last here in the late 80s hasn't it?

Cameron Toshack: Yes it certainly has and I'm delighted to be back working at the club I've supported since arriving in Swansea as a boy. The changes from the outside are obvious, but it's also great to see the club has remained the same in many ways - important ways. It's retained its values and affiliation with the city and the people, which is due in no small part to the leadership from board level.

Cameron Toshack (© swanseacity.net)

AJ: Gone are the days of getting up at 6am and tearing up the M4 in a transit van to play an afternoon game - now it’s all leather coaches the night before I hear?

CT: Thankfully those days have gone! I can still recall travelling with the youth team to Belgium on the club's mini bus to play in a tournament as well as the long trips to Plymouth and Exeter - all great memories and certainly character building.

However today the club leaves no stone unturned and provides fantastic support to the younger age groups and local players coming through. The latest example of this is the state-of-the-art academy in Landore which is a great place to go to work everyday.

It's always a challenge with younger players to get the balance right between giving them enough to want more and not giving too much and risk affecting their motivation to be the best they can be. My early impression is that the club have the mix right and are keen to progress wherever possible.


AJ: Roll back to your youth - what was it like growing up in the Toshack household?

CT: I've been asked this one a few times... Growing up I was fortunate to be part of a close family unit along with my brother Craig and sister Sally. Looking back I can understand why I was always asked the question, but at the time it never seemed out of the ordinary because your dad is your dad. It's not as if I had anything to compare it to.

Success was the norm from Liverpool to Swansea to Real Madrid (twice) via Real Sociedad, Sporting Lisbon and Besiktas, winning five major trophies. It was a roller-coaster ride and a fantastic experience at an early age to experience different cultures and visit many countries. That said, it was clear we made our base in a great place to live in Swansea and made friendships that remain to this day.

My mum deserves a mention here as she picked up the considerable role of taking us to clubs and schoolboy games all over the place from an early age, while dad worked abroad.


AJ: You retain a very special relationship with your dad don't you?

CT: I guess it inevitably is a special relationship. A lot of boys look up to their father as a key influence on them and mold how they view the world. It's fair to say both my father and his father have passed on the values and ethics which I hold close to this day. As a man he has always set high standards of himself and those around him, something which I experienced at close quarters working with him as part of the technical teams of both national teams in Wales and Macedonia.

It was great for me to work alongside him as both my father and also as one of the most successful coaches to come from these shores. I have learned and continue to learn a lot. I would describe our relationship as special, as you mentioned. I'm very grateful to him for his guidance over the years and I often find it interesting to hear others speak about him.

While knowing him very well myself, I can say that he is a fair person that is very well respected across Europe, in particular in Spain and Turkey where he has worked.


AJ: How is the future looking for our under 21 squad? Who should we look out for?

CT: The future is looking bright! The development squad has taken shape this year and, as you may be aware, as a club we were recently awarded a Category 2 academy status which is a fantastic achievement. Many at the club deserve a lot of credit for driving this successful outcome, in particular Tony Pennock and his team. But things never stand still and the next goal is to move forward which will involve bringing in different thinking to challenge and raise the bar.

Having completed my UEFA badges some time ago as well as coaching at national level I'm hoping to be a key part of the progression. It has been a difficult start for the under 21s as it's the first year the group could be called a squad. Many are new to the club and the expectation of all working in a new structure is high but will need a little time to bed in.

Since arriving in early August I have really enjoyed working with the group and from a player perspective we have a number of good prospects, as do the under 18s who I have also been involved with to a lesser degree, but I'm not going to give you the names yet - weren't you an agent?!

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A big thanks to Cameron for agreeing to give Swans fans a glimpse into his family life and his thoughts on being back with the club again after so many years!

Swansea City: Hope and expectation

Premier League, Europe and progression! In this packed blog post, ForzaSwansea's resident ex-Swan ALEC JOHNSON has outlined why he believes this will be a season of both hope and expectation for Swansea City.

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By Alec Johnson

I have never wanted summer to end so quickly! For the first time in living memory, expectation exceeds hope in my mind, and winter replaces summer as my season of choice.

Premier League

Kicking off with the most important point - I expect us to survive in the Premier League, and comfortably so. Once the league shakes out in the autumn we should be happily sitting in the top half.

But there will be difficult moments. We could suffer a losing streak that may turn a handful of deluded newcomers to boo or criticise, but the incredible consistency that got us where we are should be maintained. Laudrup will not tolerate anything less and he has the squad to shake things up.
 

The opposition may consider the previous Everton or Norwich method of dominating us in our third as the best way to bully us into giving the ball away, and subsequent submission. I expect each of the newly promoted clubs together with most outside the top six to squeeze us as high as possible.

Despite losing to both Everton and Norwich with this tactic, I believe that we will be more adaptable this season with better players in the middle and more height up front. We are also more streetwise and alive to this high intensity.

Europe

Starting this week in Europe - yes, Europe! - I anticipate a fast start to the season and a two legged victory in the Europa League. I am old enough to remember European games at the Vetch and you almost watched through gaps in your fingers - hope didn’t even play a part. It was damage limitation. Barring a few games it was embarrassing.

However we are now Premier League and serious players within it. I’ll go for a comfortable home win and a draw away. Then onto the group stage and a real European tour.

Progression

The suggestion that we need to invest a few hundred million to reach the next level is accurate, but we won’t be doing that anytime soon under the prudent guidance of our brilliant board.

So have we peaked? Is this the best we can hope for?

I sense a slight progression this year. We are better equipped and should break the 50 point mark, taking us into the top eight. The only thing to top that would be winning the FA Cup, or maybe a successful defence of our League Cup. Laudrup certainly does enjoy a good cup run and takes the competitions very seriously. We certainly won’t be challenging the top four so I will take a few points more and a Wembley cup final, or even a Turin final. Why not? Fulham did it!

One area that would be richly deserved this season is for our players to be internationally recognised. There are several waving the flag and having the first Dutch internationals represent us raises the hope that both Spain and England could follow suit. Step up Chico, Michu, Routledge, Jonjo and even Nathan Dyer. Cups and caps are what makes history for a club so this would be a massive achievement to get our lads into these two squads.

Season prediction

As a prediction, I see the biggest oil fight since JR left Dallas at the top of the league with Man City and Chelsea taking it all the way to the title-deciding final games. A Chelsea win on the last day against Cardiff would be poetic to send them down, unless they are down by Christmas which is possible. At the bottom, I see the three promoted clubs going straight back down, this is expectation not hope as they are each absolutely average, at best.

After all that, May will return quicker than a Bony left footer, and we will face another summer of disharmony with the media, scraps with agents, construction of a new tier in the East and possibly a departure or two to help pay for it.

Whatever happens, with Swansea City we have a club to be proud of in every way. Our reputation will grow with our expectation as we start to feel at home at this level. Our third season should be our most enjoyable. Last year takes some beating but this season will see us turn more dominance into points, killing teams off and becoming more ruthless, therefore taking more points and prize money come May - we hope!

Swansea City's not-so-merry-managerial-go-round!

THE unrest that shrouds Swansea City over the summer is now almost a tradition. In this article ForzaSwansea blogger ALEC JOHNSON takes a look at the current situation and outlines potential Laudrup replacements, should the worst happen.


It’s summer and that means another media assault on Swansea City. Let’s have a look at the facts surrounding the uncertainty within our club.

It is impossible to criticise Huw Jenkins and his team - they have collectively transformed the fortunes of the Swans, risking so much yet remaining private in their ambitions with the beautiful line "it is our duty to the people of the city". You’ve got to love this.

However we do need a summer of love not this perennial challenge of departures and mayhem.

Firstly, I find it strange that the people responsible for player recruitment at the club take holidays the second the season ends. During my days as a football agent I found that May is the second busiest month of the year and requires constant attention. Taking a holiday in late July seems like a sensible option as we always seem to be playing catch up, even though we do it very well.

The statement from Huw Jenkins last week was again very polished and honest, in the face of the media he gets better and better and deserves huge credit. However as a leader of people, running a business with revenues exceeding £70m, surely there is a feeling that relationships should be stronger internally. Successive managers have run for the exit at the first option with Wigan and Leicester hardly being the greatest attractions - deeper relationships create stronger bonds.

Laudrup is also known to be a quiet and infrequent communicator and this had led to recent comments being taken out of context. It is a statement of fact, not opinion, that we need to spend £200m to improve on our position. That is a fact and impossible to disagree with. What Laudrup wasn’t saying was "I need £200m or I’m off" which is the warped interpretation from certain sections of the media. His frustration lies in the pace of the activity to date with a provisional list of five players close to being closed off yet only Canas signing, not the budget.

It’s a risky game delaying closures at this level as little Swansea City cannot compete with three quarters of the clubs in the premier league. Our ‘home bargains’ happy shopper approach - which has served us well - can only go so far under the radar, the key to its success being getting business done early.

In spite of all of this, I do believe that Laudrup will stay for one more season. But, let’s consider plan B as there is deep level of uncertainty from within the club, not just the media onslaught.

Zola is a serious contender and fits the profile but had a rough ride at West Ham - can he cut it at the highest level? I believe so. Would he come here? He’d be mad not to as I cannot see another Premier League club giving him the opportunity anytime soon.

I had the privilege of speaking with Gus Poyet weeks after he was unsuccessful in his previous application at Swansea. His words: "I called my wife and said that I had found a perfect job for this stage in my career and that the Swansea chairman will be easy to work with, only to find out the next day that Sousa had the job". He was genuinely gutted. The reason then and the probable reason in future is that Poyet's family refuse to move outside London and this doesn’t go down well at Swansea. Nor should it.

I have always admired Roberto Di Matteo, a Champions League winner just twelve months ago and now scrapping around for media work. It is considered that a level of personal baggage is attached to this fella and I cannot see any legs in this.

So what about Morten Wieghorst? The second he arrived I tweeted that this is a ready-made replacement for the big man. The feeling is that he is a top class coach and is being groomed for a top job.

Anybody else? Certainly not in this country - previous contenders like Dean Saunders and Paul Tisdale have seen their stock plummet. The only other contender within profile is Eddie Howe, back at Bournemouth and doing magic for a second spell. Surely this is a step too big, too soon but his moment will come.

So, assuming the rottweiler named Bayram Tutumlu [Laudrup's agent] doesn’t get his way none of this will be necessary. Many will say that none of this should have happened if a few people had handled a few matters very differently.

Feel free to vent your feelings on this situation below or tweet @71_alec for a discussion!

Swansea City: Alec's Dream Team

Before the final game of the season, ALEC JOHNSON has been considering which players should get a run out. And he's not limited it to the current squad! Here is his Swansea City dream team, including some of the best ever players to pull on a white (/black/red/orange) shirt.

Looking ahead to the final match of the season, and considering who I would give a run out to with only a place or two at stake, our comfortable position in the table sparked thoughts of a dream team of our past running out at the Liberty against Fulham.

Before I take bullets for not including any of the early sixties heroes, my first match wasn’t until March 16th, 1979 against Gillingham, aged eight. We won 3-1 and I was instantly addicted. Since that day, I have kicked every ball, made every tackle and shanked every pass with the lads on the pitch, from the North bank, East stand and more recently South stand, plus many away ends up and down the country.

So, limiting myself to players that I have witnessed in my time, the squad listed below considers our current playing formation which I believe to be the most effective, also adding the contribution that they made to the club in a Swans shirt.

Goalkeeper
Michel Vorm – I firmly believe that he is the best keeper ever to play for this club. I actually don’t remember him ever being solely responsible for giving a goal away in his two seasons and we should retain him at all costs.

Defence
Angel Rangel – How well has he developed? The best £10k investment ever in my opinion and he continues to improve each season. I don’t believe there’s a right back challenge from anybody in the past thirty years.

Terry Phelan – Signed by Terry Yorath and sadly only with us for a season, Phelan was an incredible athlete who dominated the entire left flank through his pace and energy. His ability to get beyond the opposing right back and create options in the final third put him in the wing back category but let very little past him either.

Chico Flores – It’s incredible to think that we can find established players of this calibre out there for just £2m, Chico has turned into a complete centre half. The mistakes have dried up as have the karate kicks! Chico is good enough for any side in the country as he consistently dominates his opponent.

Ashley Williams – Ash completes the back four despite not having his best season in a Swans shirt. He started slowly giving away a few goals and at times has lacked the pace to prevent players ghosting in behind him. However, generally rock solid, consistent and committed he makes the best ever starting eleven by some distance ahead of what could be his final game for the club.

Midfield
Robbie James – A complete midfielder, Robbie could sit in front of the back four a la Leon Britton style, break up the play but he had the power to burst through the pack and create chances in the opposition half. He also had an incredible eye for goal and scored so many long-rangers, often in vital games. Also, a genuinely wonderful character off the pitch, sadly taken away from us fifteen years ago - I would make Robbie the club captain.

Alan Davies – The little man had the most incredible feet, he could do anything with a ball and pick the pass to change the game. Alan also deserves inclusion for that free kick at Ninian Park which he hit with the outside of his foot from thirty yards. One of the most gifted players ever to play at the Vetch.

Michu – Sitting in front of these two, Michu would have had the freedom to roam around the final third. We have only seen the best of Miguel when he is playing off a front man, he has the capacity to wander around into space anticipating the second ball and hurt the opposition. Besides his deadly finishing, he seldom gives the ball away which is rare for a player in the final third and finishes each game in a state of collapse due to his endless work rate.

Attack
Alan Curtis – For the younger brigade that never witnessed this genius with a ball at his feet, think of a Welsh Messi. Ok, not quite in that league but the same attributes - small but incredibly strong and quick feet, Curt could go inside or outside making him very unpredictable and deadly to mark.

Leighton James – The best crosser of a football ever to wear a Swans shirt, dazzling with both feet and very direct. He wasn’t the hardest worker on a pitch but with Phelan sitting behind him Leighton would be free to preserve energy and hurt teams in devastating fashion. Better on the pitch than with a microphone that’s for sure.

John Toshack – Big John was often only considered a manager of our club, but his impact as a player was almost as big. Before signing for us, he was considered one of the best strikers in Europe having won everything with Liverpool just a few years earlier. Purely from a playing perspective, it was a privilege to have Toshack in a Swans shirt just through his prime and in this team he would hit 20-plus goals a season.

The Bench 

Roger Freestone – Awesome shot stopper who controlled the penalty area in the air by reading the game perfectly from corners and free kicks.

Bob Latchford – Justifies his inclusion for that first season in 1981 - a predator with his feet or head, that played to score.

Jan Molby – A majestic player who played with his head up. Despite his size Jan dominated the midfield though his vision and awareness. The big man never gave a ball away in his time on the pitch at Swansea.

Nigel Stevenson – Speedie was always dominant and a genuine hard man of the back four, quiet yet motivating I don’t remember him ever having a bad game, and would recommend not to tell him if he ever did!

Chris Coleman – Cookie replaced Phelan and it was like for like in style if not size. Physically massive with a crisp left foot who often played in the middle when called on.

Nathan Dyer – His pace and energy terrifies defenders, bring him on after an hour after the Curt and Leighton have worn the full backs down.

Joe Allen – I believe Joe will get better and better, had a good few seasons with us and needs including for that Ninian Park celebration.


Having only missed a handful of home games in thirty years and despite not going away as often as I would like, I don’t believe there are any glaring omissions in this squad, but fire over your missile to @71_alec or feel free to add your comment below with your pitch on who and why.

Individually I believe every one of them would hold their own in any top four side, assembling them collectively would have put us right in among them.

Dare we dream!

Summer Starts Early!

With Swansea City's eventful season almost over, it's almost time for 'silly season' to begin - four months of excitement and uncertainty. But before the rumours start ALEC JOHNSON takes us through what we have and what we need in the summer transfer market.

What’s in store for us this summer? I believe far more stability and positive moves rather than counteractive managerial hunting. After two seasons in the top flight, a major cup and a European adventure ahead, we have become a safe, exciting proposition for developing footballers.

We have developed an identity as a well-run club playing attractive football, but interestingly we are now considered specialists in the Spanish market, in the same way that Newcastle are for French or Arsenal were for French or African talent. Yet I still remain surprised not to see a Danish player or two.

So, what do we need?

Defensively we are solid with depth across every position. Four proven centre-backs and four dependable full-back options gives us plenty of versatility. So I would not add to defence unless the bombshell of Ash leaving to a top four club is realised. Sadly this is highly possible and that opens up a like-for-like exchange with Alberto Botia or another mobile man mountain. It will also be interesting to see if Darnel Situ can finally step up - he is highly thought of and must be in his thirties by now, the length of time he’s been hanging around.

Midfield is an area where Laudrup tends to freshen things up by changing things game to game. The engine room is vital to our game with both the box-to-box nature and the creative artists requiring fresh legs to break with pace. Jonathan de Guzman is expected to find another club - he replaced Joe Allen and, in my eyes, did a better job, offering more in the final third and on set pieces.

The board will fight to keep de Guzman and his statement suggesting that he would love to stay is encouraging, but money talks and he will have lucrative alternatives. Even if Jonno chose the Swans, would we pay £7million for him? I’m not sure.

So who could fill the gap? Personally I would love to cherry pick from the relegated bunch which could include Seb Larsson? Ashley Westwood? Tarabbt (cue multiple boos)? Possibly Wigan’s Shaun Maloney or James McArthur? Jose Canas may be brought in to compete with Leon, but where does that leave injury plagued Kemy?

Out wide I expect an addition to provide another menace for tired legs, covering off-days for Dyer or Routledge. So far Lamah has proved nothing yet and Pablo is far more effective in a more central role. Laudrup has quoted on several occasions his desire to work with four wingers capable of both creating and scoring.

Iago Aspas: Perfect signing for the Swans?

In attack I expect two strikers to be recruited, plus Luke Moore offered a new deal. Rory should be retained to complete the pack of four chasing the goals. Iago Aspas seems to want to come to Swansea and I believe he will for a club record fee and will fit in perfectly. It’s been a long time since we had a smaller more nimble option.

The Lukaku merry go round is back in motion - we nearly snared him last summer but his demands were too big, however this year we have a 30% greater budget to play with. A cheeky bid for Steven Fletcher if Sunderland drop would be fantastic, but I expect us to chase value overseas, or cherry-pick from the Championship. And what about Glenn Murray at Crystal Palace or even Jordan Rhodes - these fellas are all about goals and we do create a few chances.

Here’s my top three to mull over that could add firepower up front for us:

• Adam Szalai of Mainz is a big lad and superb finisher, previously with Real Madrid and of Hungarian nationality, in his mid-twenties. He never fulfilled his early potential but could blossom under Laudrup.

• Wilfired Bony has been banging them in all season for Vitesse Arnhem, a current Ivory Coast international and at 25-years-old he is deserved of a go in a big league. 

• Jonathan Soriano moved to Red Bull Salzburg for a few extra euros last summer. Why this lad hasn’t left the Barcelona fold and moved onto a big club in a major league surprises me, he’s got everything needed to succeed at a club like ours.

Adding one of these three plus Aspas takes into the category of top six challengers, it really does.

Closer to home, the under-25 home grown rule will affect decisions. Clearly Tiendalli was rated above Jazz last season but the decision is reversed for next season. The extra space in the squad is unlikely to be deemed important for another full back - a shame as Dwight has done very well.

Anybody coming in will fit the profile characteristics necessary at the club: a few years before their peak, great work ethic, comfortable on the ball in any area and the hunger to work hard.

In addition to the character profile we must consider how a blend of highly paid egotistical stars blend together. Adding the wrong individual can be hugely counter-productive if team selection doesn’t go their way. But I have faith in our board to assess the character assess anybody joining in ‘Fokker’ style.

We will continue to do it the Swansea way and, despite any whispers or speculation, I forecast a bunch of new players that we haven’t heard of and an even stronger season ahead.

Are we there yet?

What is Swansea City's ultimate destination? Are we a 'big club' yet? What makes a 'big club'? In his first ForzaSwansea blog post Alec Johnson explores the past and possible future of the club that everyone just can't get enough of.


Are we there yet? The dreaded question for any parent on a long journey, but one we can also ask ourselves as Swansea City supporters, because we too are on quite a journey. But before we look ahead, let’s rewind and appreciate recent points in our history.

It has been well documented that we were rock bottom a decade ago - at least it was our rock bottom. Thankfully we didn’t suffer the ‘Luton’ or ‘Oxford’ syndrome, both of whom a generation previously had reached their Wembley cup finals, both winners of a major cup. Neither club has recovered to reach similar heights after losing their league status.

For Swansea, that fateful day against Hull could have delivered an entirely different direction for our club and we danced with the devils of non-league. Would we have returned? I believe so. I have considered a few reasons why but thankfully we will never know the answer to that question. One thing for sure is that we wouldn’t be parading cups around our city on a bus full of international stars.

Size counts for nothing in this ruthless game where the worst teams fall through the trap door. Though comparisons can be drawn between the clubs, we are a much bigger club than both Luton and Oxford, boasting far greater fan bases and population - 750,000 people live within a 45 minute drive of Swansea, a huge catchment area.

More importantly, our club are in the safest set of hands in the entire football pyramid, and have been since 2001, two years before our judgement day. Huw Jenkins and Martin Morgan in particular have built this club with their hands dirty and through their heart and soul for the city and its supporters, not themselves.

The board in the winter of 2003 recognised two things that could be done to affect the journey and change the destination -  bringing in players and fans. They did both by running several cheap ticket schemes that doubled the attendances from 3500 to 6000 and beyond, the extra revenue generated was reinvested in Martinez, Britton and Tate, among others.

History and survival has been well documented since. So acknowledging the past will always have our board and long term supporters appreciate the present and future. Accepting where we are in the pecking order of football hierarchy can bring perspective to what we have achieved when planning the next steps.

So many managers become victims of their own success but thankfully our board see the hill in front of them and have one eye, not two, on the mountain beyond it. If this was ‘bet in-play’ would we cash in now? Have we peaked? How far can we develop our club? Are we now considered a big club? Are we there yet?

The Future

We were promoted in style, also in hope not belief that Premier League status could be retained. Belief has now turned into expectation, as I predict a minimum five year run at this level. If there was a check list of items necessary to develop in this league, I believe we tick every box and we can now set our targets even higher beyond the hill and towards that mountain.

We remain debt free, profitable, focused on developing a young squad under long contracts, under a manager committed for the next season at least. Our profile grows month on month and the board have the investment priorities in the right order.

It’s all about the Liberty, the team and new training facilities absorbing the cash surplus, what we can afford and pausing what we cannot. There is not another club in the Premier League that ticks every box, this leaves us in an enviable position where we can prosper and become a ‘big club’ - this has to be the goal. There is no actual definition of a big club but the most common factor considered is attendances.

Clubs like Norwich, Sunderland and West Brom punch well above their weight but this is down to a prolonged time in the top flight. A top flight stay breeds a generation of fans and it becomes a habit.

Most remain through relegation and tough times therefore securing greater revenue at lower levels and the probability of a promotion. This is in the minds of the Swansea board as they embark on the investment for stadium expansion - the interest is not the revenue as there is enough of that swilling around. It’s the bums on seats for the future of the club.

Adding to this the fact that ‘we’re all going on a European tour’, again the few million yield on this adventure is of secondary importance, the raised profile attracts both players and fans, embedding our proud name in the media every Thursday across Europe. Iron the banner Mrs J, me and the fella are off to Latvia!

So, are we there yet?

I don’t think so, but we do need to understand where we sit in the order of things. We will not be competing for the Champions League, firing our manager for not winning the league, booing our players off the pitch for not winning 5-0 or chanting ‘sack the board’.

Let’s not forget our values as a club as we become more successful, our recent history is now our best history but I believe there is more to come, lots more. The first ever top flight south-Wales derby perhaps? Let’s hope not! A serious crack at Europe, an FA cup and a decade in the best league in the world sounds like a great destination for me.

But let’s not forget, ‘we are Swansea, and we know who we are’.