Phil SumblerI had to check the fixture list after Saturday’s defeat as I thought I had fallen asleep somewhere and missed a large chunk of games given the reaction to the defeat at West Brom.
Nobody is claiming there were a huge amount of positives from the game itself but to see the reaction on social media to the defeat you would have sworn that it was ten straight defeats without scoring a goal that had led to them.
Michael Duff is two (yes, thats TWO!) league games into his Swansea City managerial career. That is nowhere near enough for anybody to draw any conclusions to how thw career will pan out let alone give any sound debate as to whether he was the right appointment or not. I saw comparisons with other managers and first games of the season but none of those managers were two games into their time in charge, indeed one of them had six months under his belt to shape the way his side was playing.
It does seem – and this is frustrating – that Michael Duff is now compared to Russell Martin in the same way that Russell Martin was constantly compared to Steve Cooper. All three of those managers are different in the way that they approach games but there are also more than the odd similarities to be seen. After Cooper left for two years we heard about play off teams when comparing him to Martin and now Martin has left then it seems that the last two years we have in reality been watching Brazil in action when the revisionism is completed. The reality is both previous managers did well enough with the Swans but both went through pretty lengthy periods where we were exceptionally tough to watch and certainly nowhere near the track of the Swansea Way.
Duff may or may not fall into that category at any point in his Swansea City managerial career but the way that some of the reactions to the weekend have been portrayed it seems that he will not even be given the chance to prove himself one way or the other. For some he was written off even after losing meaningless friendlies in pre-season let alone a league match against a side who clearly have ambitions of promotion this season (make no mistake here their manager will not survive the season if they are not in the top ten before Christmas) The football on Saturday was nowhere near good at times but Duff has had to rebuild large chunks of his side during the course of the summer and, for several, they are relatively new to the squad (less than two weeks in several instances) so things take time to bed in.
Twitter was a pretty depressing read for any Swans fan on Saturday and it does appear that Duff has been demonised by some already. Every word he says is scrutinised, every comment from the opposition fans are dissected and turned into ammunition against a Swansea boss who has still only played three competitive matches at the club and, at the last glance of the calendar, is still only in the middle of the month that contained the first of those three games.
I’m sorry but to start this campaign at this stage of his reign is wrong in so many quarters. Firstly it is destabilising for the club. Last season we saw lots of ammunition fired at Andy Fisher on social media and then we read how that had impacted his form (and mental wellbeing) so it is disingenuous to think that firing similar comments at the manager would do anything different to the squad.
Secondly any hints of disharmony would make any players think twice about Swansea City as a destination. As a manager tries to sell the “dream” of coming to a club with ambitions of growing then any feeling that looks the opposite in the fanbase could make other options look attractive.
And thirdly, the sheer fact that it is so early (two league games remember) is the biggest reason how it can be so wrong. There is not a single manager in the history of Swansea City who will have determined his whole playing shape (and personnel playing to that shape) inside two games. That’s a fact and one that seems to have been missed when the knives are being sharpened for a man who has a track record of delivering success at the clubs he has been at. Ironically something that neither of his two predecessors have.
These conversations (and suggestions) should not be taking place until the season is at least ten to twelve games old and even then I could easily argue that they are well too early. Very occasionally – Bob Bradley – you get a view that things are not going to work out early doors but it is rare and this for me is part of a longer term goal and Christmas – broadly the halfway mark of the season – is usually the time when you get a full gauge of what is really happening and whether we can progress under a manager.
Now is the time to be showing the support of the manager at all times and not picking holes in his every movement, every word, every misplaced pass but look for the positives that are there in some of the recent signings and the ones that are still to come.
That is what should be the Swansea Way.
The issue here isn’t the fact it’s only two games. It’s more he’s got a stronger squad than RM by a mile and kept most of his decent players bar Manning. It’s more that nobody can see any sort of progress or identity. You’d think with a full pre season and a few league games you’d see something that resembles a Michael Duff team. Whatever that is.
So you think that after a few games those new players will be fully bedded in and playing the way that he wants them to play? I’d take up a different sport if that is the case. Martin was here several months before anything looked progressive and it regressed several times including half of last season. His (Duffs) problem is some people cant get over his predecessor leaving and dont want to accept that he left because he knew he couldnt take us any further.
Thank you for a common sense answer. I think the identity is pretty clear: in-your-face pressing, play it forward with purpose. The issue on Saturday is that the players didn’t show up for 60-odd minutes. Personally, I would prefer 4 at the back as we looked a little light in midfield and seemed to have an unnecessary extra man at the back.
Alan, your reply to ‘Gary’ is very arrogant. I’ve been a fan since the 70s and have seen quite a few managers. Some get them going quickly, others don’t. Russ’s start was also slow, if I’m not mistaken, but at least I saw what he was trying to do and liked it. I think I MIGHT be able to see what Duff is trying and I don’t like that he’s moving so far away from our previous style. A tweak was needed, not an overhaul. His football seems even uglier than Cooper’s.
Of course he deserves time, but there’s nothing wrong with people hearing or seeing alarm bells. It’s not just about the results, but also the performance.
Even if we forget about the 3 really poor goals, our build up play was awful. Far too direct, aiming for players who had little or no support around them and not pushing the wing-backs forward.
Hopefully things will settle quickly, and the addition of the Chelsea and Arsenal players will help that, but I hope that he looks at that squad (which is almost identical to the one that finished the season so well) and plays to its strengths, rather than get them to adapt to a system that might not suit them.
No arrogant reply needed, thanks……
Nothing arrogant about it Nick but it seems to be very convenient to forget the utter dross that the previous manager served up for broadly two thirds of last season. We had zero identity, style (or results) for that period?
Whoever thinks the knives are out doesn’t know Football. Let’s talk again after 10 games so we can give this new team time to blend. Hopefully by then we are on the up. Keep the faith. 👍😁⚽
I agree that nobody deserves to be judged on the basis of two games. I also think that the difference between Martin and Duff is behind it all. Fans (like me) who felt that the campaign against Martin’s style was out of line will feel that Duff’s style resembles some sort of redemption for Martin. I really hope we’re not going full Luton (under Jones) or Barnsley (under Ismael). I’m coming to terms with the goodbye to Martin ball, I can see why people had issues with it even if I disagree. I just hope Duff will settle for less than a full overhaul. I really like the signings, so yeah, still quietly hopeful.
Totally agree with Phil Sumbler article.
It is very early ,in what will hopefully be a long and successful period under Michael Duff.
New signings still arriving . There’s bound to be a transitional phase.
The post match and pre match manager interviews have been fair and refreshing.
I think MD says what he sees. He doesn’t look to throw a spin on it.
Time will tell I suppose. Hopefully we’ll see a stability on and off field going forward with more transparency and ambition from the club owners .
The end of Aug will reveal if we’ve
ambitiously traded in the window and backed the manager . Dare we say it ..pockets of optimism in the summer signings made.
Excellent comment from Mathias. Not surprising that Duff is finding it difficult to move on . Martin’s style of play was so strong and some players are finding it difficult to play any other way.
It may be that Duff will have to move on from some of the “stalwarts” if he’svto have any success.
Time heals all wounds, and wounds all heels. Give the guy a break.
Got to give it time 8 possably 9 new players in wont know our strongest side for a while , got two left sided players in and that will give us a better balance with players not having to check and get on there right foot
More like five public games with the same tactics in all five.
If the players we have brought in are true to their bios (footballers) they have come to the wrong club at the wrong time.
I remember similar comments (give him time) wer made about Bob Bradley.
Duffball is here to stay.
Covertry spent longer in the bottom 6 that the top 6 last season, they stuck with robbins and he got them to the play offs
Great observation Steve and right to the crux of the matter give the man a break PLEASE!
For me it is much to early to judge a manager. All I have to go on is how well his Barnsley side played – passing with intent, surely that is progress on Rm style? Duff has to be given time, I agree he has much more depth than RM, but these will take a little time to gel. Keep positive, Duff says he wants passing with purpose and that is something we all cried out for over the last two seasons – so let’s give him time! We may yet lose Joel and that would be a big miss, do we have a suitable replacement, Yates is a tidy player but it is a lot of weight to carry – so we still need support, but that maybe a january addition – keep the faith!
Way way too early to judge…I do prefer us with 4 at the back and think a midfield diamond of Allen, Patino, Fulton & Grimes is quite exciting. Got to give MD time, I was a big RM fan and we endured LONG spells of poor results.
we going up,,,,, END OFF
God what a lot of clowns on the comments.
Martinball?. Watched swans for nearly 50 years and his side side back
oops defender makes mistake goal for other team is the most shambolic
I have seen.
Keith we are going up is as stupid as saying duff out at this point in season