Planet Swans ArchivesSwans manager Kenny Jackett has said, quite categorically, that he would leave Rory Fallon out of the side if he felt it was the right thing to do. Fallon, who has scored five times this season, has yet to win over sections of the Swansea support since his move from Swindon back in the January transfer window.
A few late strikes at the end of last season added to those this have seen a goal ratio of about 1 in 4 for Fallon with his most notable being a spectacular effort in the play off final last season. Jeers have been aimed at the striker from sections of the East Stand in recent weeks with cries for Bayo Akinfenwa to take his place in the starting line up – something which Jackett says has not been an option so far. Indeed, Bayo scored his first goal since April for the Swans in the weekend’s 3-1 win at Darlington that saw them earn a third round trip to Sheffield United in the FA Cup.
Comments have also been levelled in Jackett’s direction that he would never b prepared to drop Fallon due to the large fee he shelled out for him to get him away from Swindon.
“Price tags don’t mean anything to me – I just do what I think is the best thing for the club,” Jackett insisted to the Western Mail
“It hasn’t been the case where I’ve thought I needed to get my money’s worth out of Rory.
“It does hurt you if you sign a player and then don’t play him, but if I have to do it, I will.
“I did it with Leon Knight – we’ve got a deal done (with Barnsley) and hopefully I’ll get my money back on him.
“You do look at that type of thing (money spent), but once I’ve thought about it all, I’ll always do what I feel is the best thing for the club – even if it’s leaving someone out who is a personal signing of mine.
“We haven’t been in a position where Bayo has been able to start matches every week,
“Because of the shin problems he’s had this season, he hasn’t been 100% fit. His injury hasn’t allowed him to be selected from the start.
“It’s only allowed him to one or two training sessions a week and then be a substitute when matches come round.
“I’ve been fortunate that both Lee and Rory have been fit enough to play and we’ve been winning games.
“We’ve got Bayo through as a useful sub, but he hasn’t been fit enough to make that starting berth.
“But I hope he goes on to do that because you want all three strikers up to full fitness.
“His shins are now better than they have been for some considerable time, and perhaps we’ll now see the best of him.
“The goal lifted his confidence and hopefully he’ll go from strength to strength now.”
Jackett will have to decide between Bayo and Fallon for tomorrow’s trip to Brighton where league points are back on the agenda. Illness could force his hand one way or the other with both strikers starting the weekend on the bench through a bug. Bayo was introduced after 13 minutes though with the Swans a goal down, a decision that Jackett explained to the WM again
“Trying to pass the ball through midfield and use the spare man is OK on a good pitch, but this wasn’t the pitch for 4-5-1 and I pretty much realised that as soon as we started,” he said,
“Tactically, I had to make a change and put a centre-forward on.”
