Tate – We Need To Look Ahead

Tate looks set to be Swansea City captain against Manchester City on the opening weekend and that will make a fantastic journey that started in League Two and has headed to the Premier League in less than ten years.

Speaking to the Western Mail, Tate said “There’s no point looking back,

“We need to look ahead and I think we’ve been doing that for a while as a squad.

“For us as players, the pats on the back stopped after a couple of nights celebrations after the play-off final.

“That was great but there’s no point just living off what you’ve done before.

“You’ve got to set your goals higher again after reaching the last one by winning promotion and the new one is to stay in the Premier League.

“You have got to move on. The manager isn’t going to pick you on what you’ve done before. He’s going to pick the players who make the best team to stay up.

“When you come a long way with a club, people expect you to reach a certain level and stick there,” admitted Tate. “So it’s probably a testament to lads like myself, Britts and Garry that we’ve not done that.

“We’ve kept on moving up the levels and played a decent part in getting to where we want to be.

“We know there will be changes and with that there will be people happy and people disappointed – but that’s football. I’m obviously not going to be happy just being here – you’re only a footballer if you’re playing football, not just training during the week.

“You want to be involved and your aim is to be in that matchday squad every Saturday and, from there, the first team.

“That might not happen for me as frequently as before, but who knows that?

“My aim will be the same now as it was when we’re down the bottom and it won’t change – and that’s to play every week.

“People can predict or say what they want because it doesn’t make a difference to that or to me.

“Opinions are fine and everyone is entitled to one – but only one matters and that’s the one of the man who picks the team.

“That’s the key,” he said. “This is a different challenge to anything we’ve faced before so it’s huge we pull together and be as one.

“The focus is us as a group and staying up as a group.”