Andy Coleman has much to learn about speculation

New Swans Chairman Andy Coleman has much to learn if he feels that he will be able to totally control the narrative of news being released as and when he wants it to.

It was a very odd statement last night that clearly was referring to the news being released early of the seeming impending departures of Julian Winter and Josh Marsh following the appointment of Coleman himself and Paul Watson who is reportedly joining from Luton Town.

It may well be that the reports jumped the gun a little in these changes playing fully through but, assuming there are i’s to be dotted and t’s to be crossed, it was more appropriate to make no comment at all then to start your tenure with such an odd statement that actually didn’t refute the reports so probably merely fuelled the speculation rather than extinguishing it.

The future of Winter and Marsh may not be confirmed as yet but it seems inconceivable that the club needs a CEO on top of a Chairman who has moved his life to South West Wales and similarly you don’t need two people in charge of recruitment.    That’s not speculation it’s just pretty much common sense.

This is one of those situations where the Swans PR team should have stepped in and prevented the statement being released.   It’s not the first time the ownership group have created a PR howler but when people are employed to advise on these things then advising is exactly what is needed to be happening.

At the very least then there should have been more clarity to the statement given the reaction that was seen on all social platforms following it’s release.  Confusion and guesswork reigned supreme and, as stated earlier in this article, then the speculation was added to which was clearly not the intention of Coleman.

A look at the digital programme for today’s game tells you much with Julian Winter’s column replaced by one from Coleman and there has been no reference to the current (yes, he still is) CEO in any of the statements made by Coleman.    Well, at least until last night’s little oddity anyway!

If Coleman is unhappy with speculation then wait until the transfer window is fully open and the speculation is in full flow.   And certainly keep away from all forms of media in the last few days of August when it reaches fever pitch.    Statements will be in full flow around that time, hope the PR team is ready for the overtime.

It’s not the best start to fan relationships for Swans Chairman Coleman and certainly not the best start to relationships with the local media where it was clear the main finger was pointed at the reports about the departure of Winter and Marsh.   Allegedly and supposedly!

The simple fact here as well is that Coleman did not end the speculation with a statement that one or the other was staying which we can just assume tells its own story.   But the Chairman also needs to remember that Swansea is a very small city when it comes to rumours.    It has been a frustration of Swans owners for several years that this is the case but it is, always has been and probably always will be that way.

So on occasions like this it is definitely a case of less is more and this was one of those times when saying nothing was the correct thing to do.    The lesson to be learned if you like.