Replacing Monk?

Garry Monk's appointment as temporary head coach initially brought a positive impact to Swansea City, including the Cardiff hammering and brave displays against Napoli. However, with less convincing results following, GAVIN TUCKER checks out the other managers who may be on Huw Jenkins' radar.

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By Gavin Tucker

After Laudrup left, the decision to hand the reigns to Monk made sense. Bringing in a complete stranger and expecting immediate results at this late and vital stage of the season would have carried too much risk.

With no official confirmation on the planned duration of Monk's reign other than 'the foreseeable future' it would seem fair to assume that Monk will stay in charge for at least the remainder of this season.

The club will then either feel Monk has earned the chance to take the squad into next season or seek a new manager soon after the season ends. This will allow time for an outsider to familiarise himself with the squad, make a few signings and complete a pre-season, before embarking on the tough year ahead.

In an ideal world we would unearth a manager with all the best bits from our recent past. Someone with the discipline and coaching ability of Roberto Martinez, the man management skills of Brendan Rodgers and the contact book and transfer market pull of Michael Laudrup. Not a lot to ask then...

So who could be the next manager at Swansea? Who would be interested? Do we give an upcoming rookie a chance or try a more experienced option? Here's a look at some potential contenders...

Dennis Bergkamp

"The promising gamble"

Huw Jenkins is reportedly a big admirer of the Dutch legend, currently at Ajax as an assistant coach. Bergkamp is hugely respected in this role by his peers and a disciple of the strict technical total football philosophy that would suit what our board try to instill at Swansea. Although he has previously distanced himself when asked about a career as a manager, it wouldn't hurt to ask!

Bergkamp would also bring a certain level of appeal in the transfer market, similar to what Laudrup brought to the club. It would have its risks of course - with Bergkamp unproven as a manager there would be a level of uncertainty as to how he would take to management being thrown in at the deep end of the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa

"The experienced choice"

The 58-year-old Argentinian, nicknamed Loco Bielsa (Madman Bielsa) has over 20 years experience in management including spells with the national squads of Argentina and Chile, and most recently in charge of Athletic Bilbao.

Unique in his coaching style, he is known for watching and collecting numerous football videos to the point of obsession. He is said to be meticulous in his preparation for games using all forms of statistics and technology to aid him. Referred to by Pep Guardiola in 2012 as 'the best manager in the world' that surely counts for something!

Oscar Garcia

"The up-and-coming young option"

Spending most of his playing career as an attacking midfielder in La Liga (sounds familiar) Garcia previously managed Barcelona youth squad, Maccabi Tel Aviv and is currently making a push for a the Championship play-off place at Brighton.

The 40-year-old was loosely linked with the Swans last time round. He's another young manager who fits our philosophy and tactics. Garcia, although a little inexperienced has made a pretty good start in management so far.

Ronald Koeman

"The big name"

Koeman is currently set to leave his role as Feyenoord manager at the end of this season and media friendly Swans director John van Zweden let slip this week that enquiries had been made by Koeman's agent as to whether Swansea would be a suitable destination for the Dutchman.

'Tintin', as he was known had an illustrious career as a player, most notably part of Johan Cruyff's dream team at Barcelona in the early 90's where he played with Michael Laudrup among many other greats.

His history in management is a bit mixed, most of it has been reasonably positive in the Netherlands. He's spent time in charge at Vitesse, AZ and PSV but his most successful period came with a four season spell at the helm of Ajax. He has ventured outside the Eredivisie twice with less success, with short times at Benfica and Valencia.

Koeman has experience at some massive clubs and his renowned name in the football world would bring appeal to Swansea in the transfer market.

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It's always worth remembering that our board tend not to go for in-work managers, as the last four appointments have shown. Martinez, Sousa, Rodgers and Laudrup were all unattached before taking the reigns at Swansea. Whether this is out of a respect to other clubs or Huw Jenkins doesn't want to pay out millions in compensation is not exactly known - it's probably a bit of both.

There is a massive decision to be made this time round and seeing as we have a pretty healthy bank balance, it may be that we need to approach an in-work manager this time round if it means we get the right man.

Nervous times? Exciting times? It's all just another lap on the Swansea City roller coaster!

Swansea City: The Business End

Welcome to the time of the season where everything matters.

The time for bluffing, blaming and brave losses is over. There's no more Europa League, FA Cup or Capital One Cup... all efforts can finally be concentrated on the league.

There's no hiding from the fact that everyone involved with Swansea City have enjoyed a crazy month or so.

Since Michael Laudrup was relieved of his duties at the start of February we've seen some brilliance on the pitch. The Swansea City we actually enjoy watching. Hammering Cardiff at the Liberty Stadium was undoubtedly the highlight, though holding Napoli to a draw was pretty special. 

We've also seen some bad times - losing in the final game to Napoli was a blow but, as many have said, it would've been a result we'd have taken at the start of the season. The hangover from the intense Europa League schedule resulted in the 1-1 draw to Crystal Palace, which actually felt like more of a defeat considering the nature of the game.

Players have limped off, trundled around and some even vomited on the pitch - all signs that maybe too much football has been played. The streamlined squad was too small and stretched beyond their means with three different competitions on the go. Thankfully most of the players have had a good rest and should be raring to go on the weekend.

The first time Michu will play for Monk

When the teamsheets are read over the loudspeakers on Saturday, the one name we'll all be hoping to catch is Michu, who should return against West Brom after being away since mid-December. Whether struggling with injury or just weighing his options after the departure of Laudrup, Michu just hasn't been a Swansea player this season.

Even before his absence he didn't look like himself. If he has hopes of making the Spanish plane to Brazil this summer he needs to find his form again - and where better to start than against West Brom this Saturday.

With Michu joining a relatively full-strength squad at the Liberty Stadium, there should be high confidence ahead of the clash with the Baggies.

Though Monk has only guided Swansea to one win in seven matches, it's important to remember two were against Napoli, with others being against Liverpool and Everton. Another good stat to remember is that Monk has collected more points (five) in his four Premier League matches as manager than Laudrup did in his final eight!

Still - he needs a win this weekend.

We've talked about must-win games many times in the past, but it really is vital to walk away with all three points come Saturday evening.

Swansea are 14th in the table, with 29 points. A win could see the Swans back in the middle of the table with another injection of breathing space. A draw would be very unsatisfying and... well, it's pointless talking about a loss because it's just not worth considering at this stage.

Despite the tightness at the bottom of the table, I genuinely can't see Swansea getting relegated. Sure, if we lose the next five it's probably a deserved relegation, but with players like Bony, Michu, Vorm, Britton, Williams and Dyer all fit and likely to play a part in the next few matches - along with teams like Fulham and Cardiff almost certainly back in the Championship next year - it just doesn't seem feasible to me.

But it's up to the team to prove me right on Saturday. I'm going for a 2-1 win for Swansea, with no injuries and no vomiting from anyone (with the possible exception of West Brom fans who are so overwhelmed at the quality of Swansea that they feel nauseous with excitement).

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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Swansea City players: Five seasons, five of the worst!

As Swansea City fans we've seen some incredible talent at the club - mainly over the past five seasons as the Swans have made their way up the league ladder and into the top flight. We've witnessed major talent in Wifried Bony, Michu, Michel Vorm, Scott Sinclair and Gylfi Sigurdsson, to name just a tiny handful.

But it's been hard to applaud the team performance at times, knowing there has been some utter rubbish in the midst of the squad.

So I'm bringing you a short post to celebrate the worst Swansea City players over the past five seasons. Feel free to comment below, via Twitter or on our Facebook page to share any you think I may have missed (or if you feel the urge to defend the ones I've included!)

Remember: this is just for fun - we've written hundreds of positive articles about Swansea, so we have to balance it out now and again!

Alvaro Vazquez (aka The Goalmachine)

Come on... you knew he'd be first on the list didn't you? Alvaro Vazquez - although a product of the European Cup winning Spanish U21 squad - is the only player that can summon a 19,000 strong groan when his name is read out at the Liberty Stadium. He's not scored and doesn't look like he ever will.

While he may be a good athlete and a quick runner, we need a footballer not someone who'd impress in the Swansea Bay 10k. I feel some compassion because he's clearly lacking any sort of confidence, but it's hard to feel that bad when he's on so many thousand a week for doing bugger all.

Itay Shechter (aka Mr. Scores When He Wants)

It's hard to believe we celebrated the departure of Itay Shechter when one of his replacements was equally as poor (yes, I'm talking about Vazquez again, I'll stop it soon...). He scored just one goal for Swansea in his 18 appearances for the club. His long awaited goal came in a 3-2 win away against Wigan - his first in 856 minutes for club and country... wow.

The Israeli striker (at least that's what he called himself) left Swansea City at the end of the 12/13 season, then went on to slam the club saying "I experienced a tough season. I didn’t feel part of the team..." The reason, Itay, is because the other members of the squad were decent players.

Jordi Lopez (aka The Team Player)

Though he was signed on a free transfer by Paulo Sousa, Lopez was one of the highest earners at Swansea at the time, which must have been great for a player who spent most of the time on the bench/out of the squad with injury.

Lopez made just 15 appearances for the club, scoring no goals, over two seasons. God knows how much money he took from the club for doing so very little. Cheers Jordi...

Dwight Tiendalli (aka Mr Dependable)

 

Like Vazquez, Tiendalli is a current part of the Swansea City squad. While he's made more of a positive impact than the Spaniard (hell, I've made more of a positive impact than the Spaniard), there is no denying that Tiendalli can make your blood boil.

He's a defensive liability who loves being out of position and getting an unnecessary yellow card. Bizarrely Tiendalli scored his only goal for the Swans in the same 3-2 win away against Wigan that Shechter scored in! He actually scored the winner... should that exclude him from this list?

Vangelis Moras (aka The Greek Ashley Williams)

One Twitter user (@nickyfran75) summed up Moras perfectly in two simple words: "Absolute garbage." The Greek centre-back joined the club on trial in September 2011, before signing on a permanent deal.

He made his one and only competitive appearance for Swansea City against Wolves in October 2011. The game saw Swansea 2-1 ahead, before Moras came on for Mark Gower in the 86th minute. Swansea then conceded a late goal and ended up dropping two points in a 2-2 draw. Was Moras at fault? Probably. He never played for Swansea City again.

Swans in the USA!

With news of record television viewing figures for the South Wales Derby in America, we are checking in with our American writer JACOB CRISTOBAL, who takes a look at the impact Swansea City are having in his fine country!

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By Jacob Cristobal 

Three weeks ago Swansea City hosted the return leg of the South Wales Derby against Cardiff City. We all know the result of that - a convincing 3-0 trashing of our bitter rivals, gaining some revenge from the early season fixture that yielded a 1-0 defeat.

We also know it was the managerial debut of Alan Tudyk... I mean Garry Monk (Googling Alan Tudyk will reveal why we may confuse the two!). We also know that since then the Swans have played back to the form that got them to the Premier League originally.

The dismissal of Michael Laudrup (to who I must say thank you for the memories and the great hair) has definitely seen the Swans playing better. What might not be a known fact for some is that the South Wales Derby a few weeks ago generated some good television ratings over here in the US.

In fact, up to this point, the South Wales Derby gave NBC (who have the broadcast rights in the US) their best ratings ever among all of the Premier League matches they've shown since the start of the season.

In the land of television viewership numbers the match scored a 1.2 overnight rating, which means at least 1.2 million people around the country tuned in. That's right - the South Wales Derby posted the highest Premier League TV ratings here in America to date! Give yourself a round of applause if you were in the stands singing Hymns and Arias.

There were other factors to this boost in that it was sandwiched between the Sochi Winter Olympics coverage, while a manager being sacked is always going to cause a brief spike in any club taking the sports headlines.

One thing NBC has done very well in their maiden voyage of broadcasting the Premier League is giving all the clubs a fair shot at the spotlight. Where in the past it would've been easy to just highlight the big four because... well they're the big four, today there's no excuse not to cast out a wide net.

And when there's a derby on the Premier League calendar, NBC has tried to give that match the stage for all in the US to see.

In the case of the South Wales Derby, a late start resulting in the match being broadcasted here in the West Coast at 9:30am versus, say, 5:30am or 7am definitely made it easier for us sleep-in folks (yours truly) to tune in.

There is also the reality that the Swans are getting an increasing fan base in America. You already know my story, but I know north and south of me (shout out to Melissa Douglas and Jonathan Weaver who live in Vancouver B.C. Canada and Portland, Oregon respectively) that there are folks following the Swans.

There's even a Facebook group for American Swansea fans and associated Twitter account. Their progress so far in the Europa League and breath-of-fresh-air manager Garry Monk has fans near and far saying "this is the Swansea we know!"

Just look at the last match against Liverpool - the Reds had to score four to beat them. If Swansea can repeat the energy in the first leg against Napoli and pull off the stunner and advance further, it will no doubt bring echoes of when Fulham made that surprise run in 2002. And, for a club already lauded as being the alternative to the "big four", such a bump will only intensify that support.

If there's one club that's been the biggest recipient of NBC's solid effort of bringing the Premier League to the US, very few would debate it being Swansea City. And just like the energy of their supporters in the stands at the Liberty, it could very well be the energy of the US-based supporters increasing the club's popularity here.

Mamma Mia! The Swansea City vs Napoli preview

After a much-needed break from European competition, Swansea will face Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 32 this Thursday. A place in the last 16 against either Eintracht Frankfurt or Porto awaits. Our blogger GAVIN TUCKER runs us through how the Swans may get there...

By Gavin Tucker 

Swansea City, having rested the vast majority of the first team in Sunday's FA Cup defeat, should be at pretty much full strength going into this landmark game.

The squad has looked revitalised under Garry Monk's stewardship, pressing higher up the field while looking to regain possession and playing with the width we have missed going forward lately.

Shelvey played against Napoli while at Liverpool

Jonjo Shelvey may be available after suffering a hamstring strain in the West Ham game. Interestingly, it was now Napoli boss Benitez who signed Shelvey for Liverpool towards the end of his time there, stating he was looking for "British players with passion".

Stranger still is that Jonjo's first start for Liverpool was actually against Napoli in the Europa League aged 18 in 2010. Also, perhaps most strange was his teammate for that fixture was Swans new boy David N'Gog... football has a funny way of throwing coincidences like this up!

Being at home first leg is not ideal and it will be important to get a positive result at the Liberty, a clean sheet would be a massive plus and a goal (or three) should give us a solid base in the difficult second leg on 27th February at the Stadio San Paolo.

There's also a chance we could see the long-awaited return of marvellous Michu, although it may only be a cameo appearance as it's unlikely he will be able to dive straight into a full 90 minutes.

Rafa Benitez's Napoli will make their first appearance in the Europa League this season after being harshly dumped out of their Champions League group despite impressive performances and results.

The Azzurri have been in good form of late - three straight wins including a 3-1 league victory over AC Milan and eliminating Roma 5-3 on aggregate in the two-legged Copa Italia semi-final. They currently occupy third place in Serie A, the final Champions League qualifying position.

Napoli have no major injury concerns or suspensions in their ranks going into the clash. Although top scorer Gonzalo Higuain may not make Thursday's clash after taking a knock to the back in his previous game.

You tend to know to a certain degree what to expect when facing a Benitez side. When taking over at Napoli he moved them away from the more traditional Italian formation of 3-4-3 to his favoured 4-2-3-1 set up that he has used consistently throughout his managerial career. Implementing his zonal marking system and a pretty solid defensive set up that concede few goals to good effect.

Pepe Reina is likely to feature in goal on loan from Liverpool and expect Marek Hamsik to be pulling the strings in midfield. Should Higuain miss the game, Rafa will probably opt to play Jose Callejon up top who has made a strong start since his move to Napoli from Real Madrid.

With approximately 1,700 Napoli supporters making the journey from Italy it should be a lively atmosphere. European competition under the floodlights is a special occasion and should be cherished.

After over 20 years since Swansea's last continental adventures, who knows when we could be tackling an Italian giant again. Savour it!

Napoli should hold no fear for Swansea and there is no doubt the Italians are a well drilled, tough opponent with some quality players. However we have outplayed and beaten better sides in our recent history. It was not so long ago we overcame Rafa Benitez's Chelsea side over a two-leg knockout format on route to Capital One Cup glory. Is this Napoli side any tougher than Chelsea last year?

Concentration, determination and a bit of luck and we can progress from one of the toughest draws we could have got. We are capable enough and, as cliched as it sounds, we can beat anyone on our day!

Prediction: Swansea 1-0 Napoli

Swans On Film: The South Wales Derby as told by the players

Monday morning hasn't hit us that hard this week after that incredible 3-0 crushing of Cardiff on the weekend! What a win!

While Cardiff fans are rightly licking their wounds, Swansea City fans are still celebrating!

And to keep the celebrations going I've collated the official Swansea City player reaction videos into one convenient blog post so you can see how the players felt they performed, starting with the manager...


Gary Monk (Press Conference):

Nathan Dyer:

Angel Rangel:

Pablo Hernandez:

We'll be back with more Swansea City blog posts very soon! For now check us out on Facebook or Twitter.

The South Wales Derby Part II - The Monk era

The South Wales derby just got a lot more interesting...

Not that it wasn't interesting before. A match between Swansea City and Cardiff City is always intense and there is so much riding on this for the Swans - but with Garry Monk leading the line it has an additional twist.

If there's ever been a must-win match for Swansea, this is it. A draw won't do and a loss isn't worth thinking about.

Unfortunately for us fans, it's a must-win game for a team that's been so devoid of passion, skill and goals recently. It's not just Chico who's embarrassing - the whole side has been a let down. Arguing, no fight, no organisation, passing for passing's sake and generally looking clueless.

However - things are changing.

Michael Laudrup was sacked for a reason. It's not just down to the last few games as the national media may lead you to believe, it's because of months of lacklustre displays and unrest in the Swansea camp. But as Swans fans you don't need me to tell you this!

The appointment of Garry Monk as temporary manager alongside Alan Curtis will instantly instill some passion - the crucial element in a derby - back into the side. And with the likely addition of Michu (on the bench at least) we are back to an almost full strength squad.

Not to mention the fact that this time it's on our turf. The Liberty Stadium crowd have a vital role to play on Saturday in motivating the team.

We may finally see some passion with Monk in charge

So things are changing for the better and I honestly believe we can and will win on Saturday!

But for this to happen we need concentration from the players. No laughing about and joking in the tunnel or during the warm-ups. It's not about you today, it's about Swansea City winning against our bitter rivals. It's your chance to pay us back for the embarrassing display last time around.

There's no way Cardiff are going to lay down or play for the draw. It's a derby and they will be desperate to embarrass us again and do the double. And they are playing for survival, which is the biggest incentive they need. Cardiff, despite their position, are also now a stronger attacking team with the additions of Kenwyne Jones and Wifried Zaha. It's not going to be an easy game (and that's the only respect I'm giving to Cardiff).

However we have a Wilfried of our own and we hope he can smash a couple in. If there's a match we need him to be on top form in, it's this one!

It's got to be attack, attack, attack for Swansea. It doesn't matter if we have 50 shots, as long as one goes in they will all be worth it. That's why I think Monk should start with a different formation, perhaps 4-4-2.

My adventurous team for Saturday (this is assuming Shelvey is still injured, with Michu on the bench) would be:

Tremmel

Rangel, Amat, Williams, Davies

Dyer, Britton, Pozuelo, Routledge

Bony, N'Gog

That's pretty attacking, but it could pay off. It would be great to see Michu make an appearance instead of N'Gog if fit, and Shelvey instead of Pozuelo. However Britton and Dyer are both must starts (and I'm sure Monk knows it!).

It's going to be tight - a South Wales derby always is. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be a draw, but Swansea need to pick up points and perform well for the sanity of the fans. So, providing everything goes to plan, my prediction is an exact reverse of the score earlier this season: 1-0 to the Swans.

Come on Swansea!

For some great online odds check out http://www.888sport.com/football/football-betting.htm ahead of the match!

Michael Laudrup: Thank you and goodbye

By Matthew Jacob

Swansea City have parted company with Michael Laudrup, with long-serving defender Garry Monk and club legend Alan Curtis placed in charge for the foreseeable future.

I speak with my hand on my heart when I thank Michael Laudrup for the sterling work he's done at my football club. Leading the Swans to a major trophy and into Europe is a superb achievement and a level that many thought the club could never aspire to.

He continued the good work of his predecessors and has certainly added considerable talent to our playing squad with the likes of Michu and Wilfried Bony, while overseeing the development of Ben Davies from youth academy product to Welsh international.

There was a mutual acceptance by fans that Laudrup would not be in charge by next season, given that he had always made it clear that he intended to look for a new challenge when his contract came to an end. Yet it is hard to imagine that anyone envisaged this sequence of events that has led to the Dane's dismissal.

I was at the West Ham game on Saturday and can honestly say it was the worst performance I've seen from a Swansea side in the last eight years. The writing was on the wall and it all felt wrong.

Laudrup is highly rated and I'm sure clubs will queue up to bring him in and rightly so, yet there can be no doubt that since securing the Capital One Cup, Swansea have simply not been good enough.

We have played 35 Premier League fixtures since that day at Wembley and only managed eight wins, losing 18 times. That's relegation form, pure and simple. So where did it all go wrong for Michael's men? What caused the slide from ninth in the league to two points above the trapdoor to Championship football barely a year later?

It boils down to several things which have created a shroud of uncertainty around the players, the club and inevitably the fans. There's truth in the argument that Laudrup has been a little unlucky with injuries. Michu and Vorm have been a massive miss for the side, while a couple of results this year have swung away from Swansea at pivotal moments.

There have been some truly bizarre issues particularly around transfer dealings. I can't honestly say I ever agreed with the idea of a 'streamlined' squad and having to battle on four fronts has really taken its toll on the players this season.

I rate Ki Sung-Yueng as a footballer and was disappointed to see him leave on loan, yet I don't believe anyone would have thought he could make the kind of impact he's had at Sunderland. To not recall him felt shortsighted, whether the blame lies with the board or the manager on that one is a real conundrum for me.

The excitement of the transfer window evaporated to be replaced by a feeling like Christmas had been cancelled in Swansea. The signing of David N'Gog and Marvin Emnes plus a handful of youngsters on deadline day was hardly going to get the East Stand bouncing, while Cardiff snapped up Wilfried Zaha and sides like Crystal Palace, West Ham and Sunderland all strengthened their hand for the relegation battle we now find ourselves in.

For a club that has always put team spirit and togetherness in the face of adversity at the heart of what it stands for, can any of us honestly say the on-pitch shouting matches between the players have gone unnoticed? Or #Brickgate? Think of it what you will but did we ever hear of this under Martinez? Or Rodgers? Even Sousa! I'm not suggesting that there were not training ground bust-ups between players and management while they were in charge, but the majority seemed to slip the media's gaze. Not so under Laudrup.

The Dane is an ice cool character. I could never imagine him head-butting the changing room door before matches or chucking bottles around screaming at the players, yet I never imagined him as a timid character either - just a man who spoke with experience. While I believe that certainly serves you well during the good times there must be the ability to pull it out of the bag when it's not going your way.

I'm not sure Laudrup knew how to change it at Swansea or, if he did, whether he could have changed it to drag us out of the mire. Some say he lost the dressing room - the body language of the players certainly has not been positive of late.

Now Swansea need to go back to basics.

Monk and Curtis are Swansea City through and through and I do believe that they can lift the squad. They must get Laudrup's signings like Pozuelo and Canas onside now and ensure all the playing staff are pulling towards one common goal. I believe they'll do that.

Huw Jenkins is a shrewd man, and will not have made this decision lightly. Yet the Premier League demands instant success, leaving teams with little option but to turn to drastic measures to boost their chances of survival. It is the nature of the beast as they say and to keep up in the high stake games, you have to roll the dice. That's what Swansea have done here. Let's hope it pays off.

I'm right behind Garry Monk and Alan Curtis to see us over the line this year. I felt really strongly about the club's 'Wear Your Colours' campaign (as some of you reading this may have seen on Twitter). I wear my colours to every game - talk to the players about wearing the shirt with pride. And who better to install that in them than Garry Monk?

So thank you Michael Laudrup - for the free flowing football, for Michu, for the Capital One Cup and the Europa league. And good luck to Monk and Curt - good job they've got a nice easy game to start with, eh?

Blogger Q&A - Five tough Swansea City questions

Swansea City are not enjoying their football at the moment. And we aren't enjoying watching.

But we've got great players, a good manager and a brilliant fan-base... so what's going wrong?! Myself, Alec, Gavin and Matt have shared our opinions on form, management, the derby and relegation in a very testing Blogger Q&A!

Q1: What are your thoughts on Swansea's recent form?

Alec Johnson: Frustrating. All the talent is there and the injured lads are back so we are running low on excuses. This is a stronger team than the past two seasons and they have to fight first and play second. They currently have this in the wrong order.

Gavin Tucker: It's not the results, it's the manner of the performances. I could accept our position if we had showed some fight, some passion or desire; but we are making some simple errors and failing tactically on a basic level. Poor preparation, a lack of concentration... it's hard to watch at times.

Matthew Jacob: I think we can all accept a dip in form if there’s passion in the performances. Quite frankly at present I’m not sure Laudrup knows what to change to improve results. Players are coming back from injury which will hopefully give us a timely boost in a massive run of games.

Chris Carra: It's disheartening. And it's, unfortunately, a vicious cycle - the poor performances feed fan negativity which feeds player negativity which results in more poor performances. The club need a few good displays (and wins!) strung together, because one positive performance in every five matches isn't going to cut it.

Q2: What's your view on Michael Laudrup's recent 'I'm not really bothered' attitude?

AJ: I’m not convinced that he’s not bothered - I believe that he is. His manner is consistently cool, win or lose. However, there are moments when passion needs to be delivered with a message. Now is one of those moments.

GT: The apparent lack of tactical preparation and some questionable team selection has raised concern. He's laid back - it's his nature and player management has never been his strong point. However, if just for his own reputation and future career in management, he needs to take action, rally for the battle ahead, motivate and help guide the team through this difficult period.

MJ: I can’t say I’m surprised by it. Laudrup has always come across as very laid back and if I’m being totally honest I’m not sure he’s ever really bonded with the fan base in the way that Brendan Rodgers did, or even Roberto Martinez. It hurt when they left the club but there was certainly a feeling of togetherness with those two in charge. That seems to have evaporated under Laudrup recently.

CC: Laudrup has really disappointed me in the last month or so. I don't agree that he needs to stand up and shout at every game - that's not his style - but he seems too casual at times, which probably rubs off on the players. I can't say I respect some of his recent team selections either.

Time to say goodbye?

Q3: Chico... have we had enough of him yet? Or does he have enough potential to justify his place in the squad?

AJ: This fella has too much passion, he’s off the scale! If only he could control it. However I would sell him in the summer.

GT: I still have faith in him. Although his dramatics against West Ham were embarrassing, he showed how good he can be against Fulham a few days earlier. We need more of that side of Chico. I think he needs some guidance, be it from Laudrup, a coach or Ashley Williams.

MJ: I thought Chico was excellent against Fulham and has put in a number of good performances since he joined the club. Then in almost the same instance he manages to embarrass us with his antics. And that’s what they are: embarrassing. I rate Chico, but please cut out the rolling around and the squealing.

CC: He's not the player he was last season that's for sure - too many mistakes and the play acting is getting a little embarrassing now. I think - like Gavin said - some mentoring would help him. I'd like to see him improve in the next few months otherwise he should go in the summer.


Q4: Who is going to win the South Wales derby on Saturday? 

AJ: Fine lines will decide this one. Passion will play its part but it is the moment for talent and composure and no doubt we are the better team. For us it’s about tempo and for them set pieces.

GT: Swansea. We have a point to prove. They might think it will be easy but we will be up for this. As supporters I think we will need to be patient on the day and get behind the team whatever. We will have enough to break them down over 90 minutes. Emnes is bound to score!

MJ: I was at the West Ham game - if we turn up and put in a similar performance we’ll be humiliated at home. It’s time to stand up and fight back. I’m going for 2-1 Swansea.

CC: A month ago I'd have said Swansea, but I'm less sure as the days go by. Cardiff - despite their table position - seem to have a few players that could hurt us. However, if the crowd at the Liberty play their part and the team actually show some passion for a change Swansea will win.


Q5: And finally... will Swansea get relegated?! 

AJ: Honestly, no. Michu and Vorm returning at the crucial stage of the season will make the difference.

GT: No. Looking at the remaining fixtures and current form it will be tough and we may struggle to get to 40 points, but so will quite a few other teams. Ultimately I feel we will scrape together enough points to finish 15th-17th

MJ: No. Though I think there are members of the squad who could do with reminding we’re not "too good to go down". We’re in a scrap, so it’s time to roll up our sleeves and dig in.

CC: No, but it may be a close call. Fulham and Cardiff will probably be relegated and there are other teams that should fill the final doomed position. However, like the others say, Swansea really need to play well now. A few wins and we're back in the top 10. A few losses and it could be "hello Championship..."

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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.

You can follow Alec on Twitter, and join us on our new Facebook page.

Underwhelming but understandable: Swansea City's transfer round-up!

While no Swansea City fan is going to be scrambling to get a new club shirt with N'Gog on the back, let's face it - we are all relieved that we signed a few players.

A week or so back we were panicking over the fact that most of our first team players were injured and no-one had come in to replace them.

Thankfully we are now in a position where many of our stars are returning from injury and the new transfers are just here to reinforce the squad or to develop for the future.

Let's a have a very quick run through of the Swans' transfer window activity:

For the bench:
These are potential first team players, but probably won't see much action with others coming back from injury.

David N'Gog (Striker)
We won't dwell on this too much, but it's safe to say N'Gog from Bolton wasn't anyone's first choice. But, while uninspired, he is a Premier League player and has some talent (if not many goals to back it up). As I've said before, if we get just one goal from the ex-Liverpool man it'll be worth it. Jonjo Shelvey wasn't an ideal choice in the summer but he's turned out alright!

Marvin Emnes (Winger)
At first I thought this was a joke. In fact I'd been joking with a friend last week about resigning old players like Emnes and Kuqi and... well it happened! Our old Championship loanee has rejoined the club on-loan from Middlesbrough again, to mixed reaction from Swans fans. He's not Premier League quality as far as we can tell, but he did score against Cardiff in 2010 and it's destined for him to score against them again next week!


For the future:
These are all lined up for the development squad. If injuries occur, they may well feature, but it's unlikely we'll see much first team action from any of these.

Adam King (Midfielder)
18-year-old Adam King agreed a three-and-a-half year deal from Hearts.

Raheem Hanley (Left back)
The 19-year-old signed for Swansea following his release from Blackburn.

Jay Fulton (Midfielder)
The 19-year-old Falkirk midfielder has been on Swansea's radar for a while now. He has finally made the move to the Liberty for an undisclosed fee.


Leaving the club:
Even though we want to, we can't keep them all!

Alan Tate 
It was inevitable that Tatey would leave us once again. He's joined Aberdeen for the rest of the season on loan.

a loan move to Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen for the rest of the season.
Read more at http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/transfer-day-live-1330189.aspx#tXW9UXcj2IFBPQQY.99

a loan move to Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen for the rest of the season.
Read more at http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/transfer-day-live-1330189.aspx#tXW9UXcj2IFBPQQY.99

a loan move to Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen for the rest of the season.
Read more at http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/transfer-day-live-1330189.aspx#tXW9UXcj2IFBPQQY.99

Rory Donnelly
The young striker hasn't has a look in with Bony and (for some reason) Vazquez on the team, so he's joined Coventry City on loan until the end of the season for some much needed game time.

Lee Lucas
Swansea City's 21-year-old midfielder has joined Cheltenham Town on a one-month loan.

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ForzaSwansea - January Highlights

YES! January - the most depressing month - is finally over!

The first month of 2014 has been pretty busy on ForzaSwansea - the busiest in the history of the site in fact!

Below are a few of the articles I've singled out as highlights, in case you missed them the first time around:

• My favourite piece of the month is our exclusive interview with Alan Curtis, where the Swansea City legend answered questions about the squad, expectations and what he likes to drink on his night off!


• Matt wrote a brilliant tribute to our legendary captain Ashley Williams.


• Gavin summed up the now infamous #Brickgate saga and profiled Chico as a player.


• I gathered expert Sunderland opinion on how Ki Sung Yeung has been performing for the Black Cats - he's been doing brilliantly it seems, which may make for depressing reading knowing we won't get him back until the summer!


• And, finally, I tried to beat the other Swansea City media by getting in my early predictions for who may be heading to the World Cup from the Swans squad this summer!

Check them out, leave some comments or have a chat by joining us on Twitter or Facebook. See you soon!

It's in our hands! (Part 2): The next six games

In Part 1 Matt gave us his opinions on why Swansea City were wallowing in the relegation zone and what was needed to get us out of the rut.

He now runs us through the crucial next six games and gives us his predictions on how many points we can (and should!) get from each. Take it away Matt...

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By Matthew Jacob

With players beginning to return from injury we now face the biggest run of games since promotion was secured. It's time for Swansea to rise and fight back.

There are 16 league games left to play, each one very significant. The next six, however, have the potential to make or break this season:


FULHAM - HOME (Tues, Jan 28th, 7:45pm) 
The perfect opportunity to get on the front foot in this sequence of games. Fulham were held to a draw on Sunday at Sheffield United and a replay is no good for them. When Berbatov doesn't play Fulham don't play, and the Bulgarian has been off form of late.

From a Swansea perspective De Guzman and Rangel should return to give the squad a timely refresher and with Bony firing I think we'll have too much for them. Our comeback against Birmingham was also a timely confidence boost.

Prediction: WIN


WEST HAM - AWAY (Sat, Feb 1st, 12:45pm)
As the Six Nations kicks off the Swans travel to East London to clash with Sam Allardyce's West Ham. The Hammers have been on the receiving end of some terrible results of late (although they have faced Manchester City's goal machines twice in that period).

Swansea lost at Upton Park last season thanks to a goal from Andy Carroll and they held us to a credible draw in October last year at the Liberty. Allardyce has added to his squad at a crucial period including the classy Italian pair Antonio Nocerino and Marco Borriello from Serie A. It'll be a tough place to go - I'd take a draw but I think they'll have the edge.

Prediction: LOSE


CARDIFF CITY - HOME (Sat, Feb 8th, 5:30pm) 
Boy to we owe them one. Malky Mackay finally made way for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Norwegian wasted no time in proclaiming his desire to finish above Swansea and that they were the capital and therefore should be bigger than Swansea. Solskjaer hasn't impressed the Jack Army with his comments but he continues to say the things Cardiff fans want to hear, and he's making great strides in the transfer market signing a clutch of players from his former club Molde and making bold moves for Zaha and Fabio from Manchester United. He has also secured the services of former Swansea target Kenwynne Jones.

This game needs no introduction. I believe man for man we're a better side than them. It will take more grit and determination than was shown in the first derby, but I think a partisan Liberty Stadium crowd can see us to victory this time.

Prediction: WIN


STOKE CITY - AWAY (Wed, Feb 12th, 7:45pm)
To the Britannia, a ground where Swansea have previously struggled to cope with the aerial bombardment that Tony Pulis championed in the Potteries for a number of years - a style of play often criticised, yet it saw Stoke into the Europa League and has helped them become an established Premier League club.

However Stoke have a very different appearance now in the shape of Mark Hughes, who has made efforts to alter the style in favour of more passing, attractive play, which may have contributed to their league position. Having never been asked to play that way, Stoke have struggled to make the Britannia the fortress it has been in previous seasons. I expect us to go there and be positive, hopefully with an almost fit squad, and come away with a draw.

Prediction: DRAW


LIVERPOOL - AWAY (Sun, Feb 23rd, 1:30pm)
It will take a special effort to prise something away from Anfield as the business end of the season approaches, with the red men chasing a top four spot and Suarez and co playing some spectacular free flowing football. Swansea were demolished 5-0 at Anfield before the Capital One Cup final, so it's fair to say we owe them one.

Were it not for our own mistakes in the home fixture we could well have taken the spoils then and I expect us to put in a much better performance than last year. However I also expect us to get nothing from the game, but I am a natural pessimist. Perhaps Swansea will surprise me once again. Of the next six games this is the 'free' if you will, one where we will not be expected to get a result and many will have written off already.

Prediction: LOSE


CRYSTAL PALACE - HOME (Sun, March 2nd, 4:30pm) 
The last game of the next six that I've earmarked as crucial. I have a hunch we'll know what we have to do between this point and the end of the season. A few months ago I was saying we'd be the club to relegate Palace yet Tony Pulis, to his immense credit, has turned them around. However, struggling to add to a weak squad, they may slip into the bottom three again by the time we meet. I'm confident we'll put them to the sword.

Prediction: WIN


There you have it. 10 points from the next 15 on offer would see us up to 31 points and, with our bottom half rivals facing tough opposition in the coming games, this would make a massive difference.

Our FA Cup tie with Everton comes the weekend of February 15th and there's also the small matter of a Europa League tie in the middle of those games with Napoli coming to the Liberty Stadium on February 20th (not to mention the return leg in Italy on February 27th), but the league must be our focus now.

I still believe it's in our hands - win our games and we'll pull clear. We've got a good squad and a strong identity, so let's get behind the boys. Back the new arrivals (whoever they are), lift the players and let's make the Liberty a fortress again, together!

Swans On Film: N'gog's N'skills

David N'gog is now officially an N'Swansea City N'player!

I had a browse to see if we should be getting excited and... well, there does seem to be some skill level there (more so than Vazquez I guess). Whether or not it will pay off for Swansea will need to be seen, but at least there has finally been some transfer window activity.

Below is a video which highlights an array of N'Gog's skills and a few goals. It's worth checking out if you haven't seen much of him before.

(Please note: I highly recommend you MUTE THE VIDEO - the soundtrack is absolutely terrible!)

Remember to like ForzaSwansea on Facebook for occasional updates. If you do I will think you are pretty cool!

It's in our hands! (Part 1)

In this special two-part article, ForzaSwansea blogger MATTHEW JACOB gives us his opinions on why Swansea City are wallowing in the relegation zone and what is needed to get us out of the rut. Then in Part 2 (scheduled for tomorrow morning) he'll give us a run down of the next six Swans games and how many points we can expect to take!

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By Matthew Jacob

I think it's safe to say that there was a feeling throughout the summer among the Jack Army that this season always promised to push our club to the limit like never before.

As Michael Laudrup prepared to steer the Swansea City ship into the uncharted waters of the Europa League I admit to a having a strong feeling of trepidation - would the squad be strong enough to battle on four fronts? Will being in Europe take the focus away from the Premier League?

You could argue that we are suffering a similar fate to that of Newcastle United and Stoke City when faced with playing Sunday and Thursday and travelling all over the continent. It was never going to be a breeze for a club like Swansea.

Let's tackle one issue first of all. We're in a relegation battle, no question about it.

The Premier League is a cruel and unforgiving place for a team low on confidence, yet the way this season has taken shape every club from Cardiff in 20th to Aston Villa in 10th is battling to survive, and will be from now until May.

That's how tight it is, where a mere six points separates the bottom club from mid-table 'safety'. And good performances count for nothing. It's all about results now, and Swansea need to start getting them (though I do not believe it should come at the expense of our style, as Alan Hansen suggested a few weeks ago).

The tactical genius himself.

Issue two is expectation. Swansea City have had two heartily successful Premier League campaigns and secured the Capital One Cup while capturing the imagination of professional pundits who suggested we would be nothing but relegation fodder following our promotion. Our dip in form since that cup win is well documented and it has left journalists to suggest we're having a tragically poor season and that teams have 'found us out'.

"Found us out!"

That phrase always makes me smile - is it a major shock to teams now that we choose to pass the ball out from the back rather than hoof it forward? We've been doing it since 2007, so to those teams who have found us out, you took your time.

For the record, Southampton are only ten points ahead yet are being heralded as having a great season? They are, and I love the football they play, but three decent results for us and a couple of dodgy results for them would see us much closer. It's a tight league after all. What would the pundits say then?

Finally, the issue of reinforcements and adding to the side.

The squad needs new blood and the fans would welcome the lift. We've been linked with Anthony Pilkington who is a lovely footballer with a bit of grit about him and someone who would certainly add to our group. A centre forward to help Wilfried Bony in Michu's absence would certainly lift the mood (I'm not sure David N'gog would immediately settle nerves, but he does have a point to prove).

Meanwhile the bizarre issue of Ki Seung Yeung has everyone scratching their heads. Laudrup has been forced to utilise Jordi Amat in midfield yet the mercurial Korean is pulling up trees on Wearside! There were calls to get him back. Those calls were ignored, Ki stays with the Black Cats and we move on.

With the squad bare and a difficult run of games to come, we as fans need to get behind the boys more than ever, the time for moaning at not being mid-table is over. We're in a scrap and we need to pull together. Our destiny is still in our hands.

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Check back tomorrow morning for Part 2, where Matt will profile the next six games and give his predictions on how many points we can hope for.

Ashley Williams: From Stockport to Stamford Bridge

He puts his body on the line for Swansea City week-in, week out: Ashley Williams. While the captain of Wales has suffered periods of poor form in recent months, there are few others that make it onto the team sheet before he does. To celebrate our captain, ForzaSwansea blogger MATTHEW JACOB brings us a passionate tribute.

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By Matthew Jacob

"Well done Ash!" - a sentiment echoed by Jacks everywhere time and again over the last six years since Ashley Williams joined Swansea City from Stockport County.

And back then, when the Swans were in League One, even the most optimistic fan could not have anticipated the player we had just acquired. It took £400,000 to bring him to South Wales - a club record fee at the time - yet Williams has repaid that sum ten times over.

Ashley Williams was born and bred in the West Midlands and began his career at West Bromwich Albion in the youth set up at the Hawthorns. Yet like so many footballers his age Williams was released at sixteen having failed to convince the hierarchy at Albion that he was worth a senior contract.

The defender slipped into non-league football, plying his trade at Hednesford Town and working part time at Drayton Manor theme park to make ends meet - humble beginnings for a man who now proudly wears the captain's armband for club and country.

He eventually moved on to play for Stockport in 2003 and made his international debut while captain there, finally moving to Swansea City in 2008 initially on loan. Then on clinching promotion to the Championship under the leadership of Roberto Martinez the move was made permanent.

Williams is an imposing figure. At six foot tall, his broad shoulders carry the hefty expectations of the Jack Army. My first impression was how mobile would he be? He stood enormous, even at 24-years-old when he first joined the club. Thankfully that concern was driven from my mind as Williams conquered all who came against him as Swansea took the League One title and then stood firm in their first foray into the Championship.

It's hard to nail down Williams 'strength' because he's such a complete all round defender. A strong mental attitude and bravery, coupled with pace, physical strength and tactical nous - Williams possesses all of these traits. Most importantly he's an excellent footballer in defence, but he also has an attacking attitude towards the game, namely his ability to play superb cross field passes to the wingers and the obvious threat he poses from set pieces.

Williams has courted the attention of top clubs since our arrival into the Premier League and following the end of the 12-13 season it seemed Arsenal would make a move for the Welsh international. To the delight of the Jack Army no offer materialised and Williams remained a Jack.

But it's not just on the pitch where he shows dedication and selflessness for the cause. He uses his status as a professional footballer for the benefit of others and is often commended for doing so. One example is WillsWorld, the charity he started to benefit under-privileged children with his wife Vanessa, along with his community soccer schools which are very popular with children in Swansea.

He commands the respect of the crowd and his team mates. When Williams is absent you cannot help but feel our cause is weakened. But with him Swansea always have a chance. With the current rough patch we are going through, the Swans will need the influence of Williams more than ever if they are to remain a Premier League side come May.

The story of Ashley Williams is one of a man cast into the football wilderness, rising to lead a club that were faced with bankruptcy and relegation into non-league a little over ten years ago. He now battles for Swansea at grounds like Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge and typifies our bold playing style and bravery against the odds.

Let us hope he continues to lead the club for many years to come.

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You can pick up Ashley Williams' book, charting his first year in the Premier League. It's available in all good book shops and online.

#Brickgate - The rise, fall and rise (and fall) of Chico Flores

We all cringed when we saw that Swansea City had made the back pages yesterday morning for the wrong reasons - all thanks to our hotheaded defender Chico Flores and 'the brick'.

ForzaSwansea's newest blogger GAVIN TUCKER takes a look at what happened, why it happened and tries to examine Chico's escalating unstable nature.

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By Gavin Tucker

Every team has 'bust-ups' from time to time.

From infamous incidents involving Craig Bellamy, a sleeping John Arne Riise and a golf club; to player and manager coming to blows on the training ground (most notably Balotelli and Mancini).

The Daily Mail was the first to post the story of an altercation between Chico Flores and Garry Monk - an outlet that has a history when it comes to tales of unrest in the Swansea camp. But these stories don't get run without there being at least some truth in them. They will, however, sensationalise it and try to make it more than it may have been. After all, that's what sells.

Our fiery Spaniard in a moment of deserved glory

We as Swansea supporters are naturally sensitive to any negativity aimed at our club by national media. The fact remains though that an altercation did happen and (maybe unnecessarily) police were called to the scene. It was most likely an accumulation of little things that led to this point with neither party completely innocent.

If you look at the wording of the original Mail article they do not actually say Chico threatened to harm Monk with a brick - they leave the reader to assume that. The diablo is in the details. When Chico responded via Twitter I believe he was being truthful when he stated he did not threaten anyone with a brick.

So what happened with the brick? Where did this brick come from? What made him snap and want to brick things?

There are rumours strewn across the internet. There are allegations that it all started over physio comments on Chico's breakfast diet of Coco Pops and too much sugar in his OJ. It may have been property (i.e. Garry Monk's car) Chico threatened to damage with a brick? Or maybe he just snapped and had it in for that horrendous pink jeep somebody had parked in the space reserved for his Ferrari... who knows?

We'd rather have a bowl of Chico Pops!

Social media goes crazy with things like this - calls for him never to play for the club again, denial of any incident, a media conspiracy against Swansea, mixed in with a tidal wave of humour about building defensive walls, photoshopped Chico pictures, links to Pink Floyd songs and, of course, its own Twitter hashtag.

I like Chico and he has been a good player overall in his time at Swansea. He has has made some superb last ditch tackles and regular diving headed clearances millimetres off the floor more times than I can remember. Also not forgetting his almost unsurpassed ability of perfectly controlling a ball with his chest whatever speed it's falling through the air.

But, I never feel completely comfortable.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm praying there's not an unnecessary rash challenge around the corner, some slightly embarrassing play acting or a lapse in concentration that costs us a goal.

His form has notably dropped this season and if it wasn't for our current injury crisis in midfield then there is a fairly strong case to start with Jordi Amat at centreback given his pretty consistent form and reassuring performances.

What matters most now though is that whatever the finer details of the incident, it's best for players involved and supporters to move on. Whatever tensions and pressures that built up to the incident have hopefully been vented and any damage repaired because Swansea need the good side of Chico more than ever with some massive fixtures approaching.

We've had more than our fair share of negative press and pundit opinion since promotion to the Premier League. Our first season we were universally tagged as going straight back down. The following campaign losing our manager and some important players was only going to add to the mythical second season syndrome that we would apparently suffer from.

The media have seriously stepped up their soap opera narrative this week - an early relegation scrap, team bust-ups, manager and player falling-outs and Laudrup leaving whatever happens (okay, we kind of guessed that one anyway...).

Swansea can hopefully take this negativity and flip it into something positive. We do better when the world is against us. We need to get back to that siege mentality, back into underdog mode and prove to be as good as we know we can be.

Swansea City: Who else has a rallying call?!

Today is the day dubbed 'Blue Monday' by the media - supposedly the most depressing day of the year for an array of reasons. And if you are a Swansea City fan you'd be inclined to agree!

It's a frustrating time for all Swans supporters: the club have been pulled into an early relegation scrap, 50% of the first team are out with injuries, Swansea have the worst home record in the Premier League this season (just two home wins), they've picked up just three points in the last eight games, Laudrup and the team are showing no fight and some fans are seriously questioning the manager's immediate future with the club... it makes for bleak reading, doesn't it?

Looking at the back pages of the Evening Post over the last few weeks there seems to have been a constant stream of "rallying calls" issued by the players, but no-one seems to be listening to these calls when on the pitch. The displays are dull, passionless and frustrating.

Although it's not the only problem, injuries aren't helping. Currently the first team looks like this:

Tremmel

Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies

Lamah, Amat, Britton, Pozuelo, Routledge

Bony

In fairness that wouldn't be so bad, but the fact that nobody is in form makes it painful to look at. In fact the only player who seems to have grown in confidence while the others have become shells of themselves is Wilfried Bony.

Many fans - myself included - are questioning why there has been no activity in the transfer window. There have barely been any rumours this Janurary, let alone fresh faces at the club. With the injury list growing by the day (with the current casualties being Michu, Shelvey, Vorm, Dyer, de Guzman, Hernandez and Canas) and defenders having to replace midfielders, it wouldn't be unrealistic to say Swansea need at least three new players to help out.

What this all means is Swansea are now 15th and three points from the bottom of the table. Yes, it's been a hard winter of tough fixtures and the injuries have made a serious impact, not to mention the extra games, but something has to change.

Before you start crying, what are the positives?

As I just mentioned, Bony is in great form. It seems he has found the spark that was missing earlier in the season. He almost looks like a £12million player. Maybe it's just because other players are feeding the ball to him more, but his shots are the only impressive thing in Swansea's game at the moment and it looks like he could score another ten this season.

It's a shame it's happening now when the rest of the team are so poor, but at least it is happening. 

Another positive is Swansea's defenders are all fit, even if they are out of form. Chico seems terrible at the moment and it's a shame Amat has to play in the midfield because I'd much prefer to see him start alongside Williams at the back. But this is good - at least defence is one of the areas we still have a choice in.

So looking on the bright side, we have defenders, we have Bony and it's also not just us who are looking poor - there are nine other teams all in this scrap for the Championship. But it's up to Swansea to start winning games and sending themselves up the table and the others down.

While it's a shame we didn't beat Man United or Spurs, the reality of it is that those games are much less important than the upcoming ones against Fulham, West Ham and Cardiff, which are all six pointers (apart from the Cardiff game which is a nine pointer!).

Forget about the FA Cup - put out a full team of reserves. I don't want to see Bony, Britton, Tremmel, Williams or Rangel near the midlands on the 25th! They all need time to rest and, hopefully, by the time the Fulham game comes around on January 28th we'll have a few of the other first team players back.

While this doesn't guarantee a win, it does give us more hope.

Then it's up to us as fans to support the team and make some noise. Three wins in three games is a big ask, but against equally poor opposition it's not impossible. An extra nine points would probably see us back in the top ten and give everyone a much needed boost of confidence.

The next three weeks and the action of the management, players and fans will all be vital in the survival of this fine football club.

Swans On Film: "Alan Tate scores a stunner"

He scores when he wants! He scores when he waaaaants... Alan Tate, he scores when he wants!

This one's a real blast from the past - Swansea City legend Alan Tate scores a superb volley in the 1-1 draw against Tranmere Rovers in March 2008, when the Swans were back in League One.

Take note Vazquez!