Phil SumblerMichael Duff and Andy Coleman faced the press together yesterday and presented a united front that was clear that they are together on the ambition they have for the club adding to the feel good factor that has been around the club the last couple of weeks.
It seems like an absolute age since the season ended with a home win against West Brom with so much having happened but with the new season just under five weeks away the Swans appear to have the foundations that they need in place ahead of that new campaign.
New investors, a new Chairman, new manager and a new Sporting Director is the exact summer of change that we have discussed many times on these pages and now two of the main players have faced the watching media to answer questions on their fledgling relationship.
And whilst that working relationship is only a couple of weeks old you get the feeling it could not have got off to a better start and club Chairman Andy Coleman is clear on the reasons as to why Michael Duff was absolutely the right choice to replace Russell Martin when he departed for Southampton.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” said Coleman when asked.
“Michael has everything I envision when I think of a leader and a winner.
“Outside of that, he is just a great human being, which is important to me, and I cannot wait to see the direction in which he will take this club.
“We hit it off personally. We did an extensive interview process, I respected his winning mentality. I think he is just a great leader of men and that is a very important thing for this club at this time.”
Coleman is at the club as an investor in his own right but very much part of a trio of investors that includes Nigel Morris and the soon to be confirmed Brett Cravatt as the club go about the biggest change in ownership since the club purchase back in 2016.
Morris and Cravatt are clearly ambitious men and it seems that in Coleman and Duff they have found their ambition equals and that can surely only be a good thing for the football club when the action starts on August 5.
“It’s been a hectic and busy period,” added Coleman. “But it is important we start to rebuild the internal football operations at this club with great leaders.
“The process, while hectic at times, was very well thought out and structured. Ultimately, we have ended up with the perfect leader of our football club.”
It has been a little over a week since Duff was confirmed at the club and in that time he has overseen the training camp in Spain together with seemingly secured a first signing of the season in Josh Ginnelly.
Working in tandem with Sporting Director Paul Watson will be key for Duff particularly when it comes to transfers but the new Swans boss is under no illusion of the task ahead of him and promised to put in hard work to get the results that we desire.
“I am a firm believer that talk is cheap,” said Duff. “I don’t need to shout it from the rooftops.
“I believe hard work pays you back, football does not owe you anything. Whether you have had a good career or a bad career, whether you are young or old.
“The moment you think you have football worked out, you find out you don’t.
“So, you might get bored of me saying it all the time, but hard work does pay you back.
“So, whatever happens here – and of course I want it to be a success – I know I can put my head on the pillow at night and now it has not been down to a lack of hard work.
“I have a good feeling, I think this is a good fit and I hope we can make it work.
“We need each other. If the team wins, we all win. Everyone is happy. The chairman is happy, the players are happy, the staff are happy and the supporters are happy.”
It really is easy to understand at the moment whey people are feeling confident ahead of the new season. For the first time in many seasons everything seems to be in place with solid foundations for the season ahead.
Long may that continue!
