Patience Fans!

It is only just over two weeks since the season ended isn’t it? And I did read correctly that for six teams in the Coca-Cola league the season has not yet actually reached that stage. Wonder if that is why we haven’t signed any players.

I find it incredible at this moment in time that we have people writing off our chances next season when the first game of such is more than 10 weeks away. Add to that a few words by the manager in a paper, never too kind to the Swans, and you have panic in some quarters already that we are set for a return to League Two. It would be almost laughable if it wasn’t so misguided?

Jackett’s comments in this morning’s Western Mail read “The club is financially strong and we want to keep our finances sound. We won’t go into debt to try and get promotion.

“We don’t want to take one step forward and end up taking two steps back.

“When we spend money, we must spend it very wisely. We’re looking for value for money when it comes to signing players.

“I’ve been given a budget for League One and I’m happy with it. It gives me scope to bring in new players.

“As far as signings are concerned, the trail is very quiet. It seems dead at the moment. People are away on holiday.

“I do want to bring in new players in the summer and I will be very disappointed if, by the time the season has started, we haven’t signed anyone.

“Swansea is a terrific club to come to at the moment. We’ve been promoted and we’ve got a new stadium which is a first-class arena.

“I’m looking to strengthen our midfield and I want to bring in players who will complement or improve our squad.

“Bristol City want £15,000 for Marc Goodfellow. The price has come down and we’ll have to see with that one.

“I’ve made enquiries on Andy Burgess and Grant Holt but no signing is imminent. Devaney has a number of options and Swansea is one of them, so it doesn’t look like our interest is going to be followed up.”

Maybe I am being naive here but I don’t see too much to worry about with those comments. Clearly he is doing some work but his job is not made easier when players have headed off on holiday as have most of our first team squad. There is no point in just signing the people that are around, you have to keep your options open.

Of course it would be a worry if clubs around us were snapping up the best talent but, guess what, they aren’t – wonder if that is co-incidentally because their targets are away on holiday as well?

Jackett has identified some players that he has an interest in and add to that the possibility that the play off finalists will not have finalised their retained lists as yet. Who is to say that the winners of the league one play off final don’t drop a few players that they feel have found their peak at this level. And what’s to say that we wouldn’t be interested in one of those?

So why the panic? Is this the same panic that was calling for a change of manager back last season before we had half a dozen games on the board? The same panic that said we were doomed to miss out on the play offs back in February? The same panic that said we should pay Bristol City whatever they wanted in January and yet we could now get the same player at a saving of £50,000? Certainly doesn’t pay to panic here really does it?

Come on folks, get real. The manager is out there trawling the lists of players that are available and those he thinks he can prise away. Assuming the list of 19 was accurate there are some on there that we probably can hand on heart say we won’t get but no doubt panic would set in in some quarters if the names weren’t on the list anyway!

It’s early days and things take time. We had made a signing by the end of May last year. Gary Fisken. If that’s the standard of May signings then I’ll settle for none this year.

And to those that want to press the panic button now – may I suggest a holiday?