Rob Davies
Three League games in and just two points to show but Michael Duff insists that it’ll take time for him to get things right at Swansea City.
The 1-1 draw against Coventry City matched the opening day result against Birmingham sandwiching the disappointing loss at West Brom last weekend.
And with high flying Preston North End up next at Deepdale Duff is keen to remind fans that thr transition between managers won’t happen overnight.
In being fair yesterday showed a much tougher side defensively to the Swans and there were signs of better passages of play albeit with a lack of creativity and pace in midfield.
“It’s never going to happen overnight,” Duff said.
“The same things happened at my last two clubs. I didn’t win a game for 10 games at Cheltenham, 18 months later we won the league.
“The same thing happened at Barnsley. We were seventh or eighth or ninth in the league for the first three months, then were the most in-form team in the country from November on.
“I want to win as much as anyone else. I also understand there’s a process, a step by step. In this league, no-one comes along and says ‘there’s a win’.
“At the minute there are a lot of things changing.
“You are trying to change a mentality of a group, you are trying to change a style of play, you are trying to change the way we defend in certain moments.
“It’s been a good week, probably the best week we have had on the training ground. There are some things we’ve worked on that came out, but still loads of things we can improve on which is a positive.
“It’s football. I’m not naïve – you don’t win for 15-20 games, I won’t be sat here.
“But the fear of the sack doesn’t drive me, it doesn’t get me out of bed in the morning.
“I get out of bed because I like working, I like trying to improve people, I like trying to improve the culture and environment of the club.
“We will get them in on Monday morning and try to improve again.”
Brining in a manager whose style of play bears no relation to what went on before (complete opposite) was a mistake. Looking at his success (over a very short period) only tells part of the story. Change to meet Duff’s style will be expensive and will depend on bringing in the right type of players in all positions. TBH I’m struggling to see how Grimes fits the bill!
The situation reminds me of the Kenny Jacket days … successful at L1 & L2 level but not transferable to Championship standards.
I think Duff is doing well, recruitment of players excellent but it all needs embedding into what we have and how a different philosophy of high tempo intersects with the passing culture. It needs fine tuning through players playing games. Duff has stated we won’t lose the passing, just add other elements and cut out passing for the sake of it I think it’s a smart move to try that, as we were pedestrian on times last season. A more aggressive in your face attitude was missing – that’s what Duff sees as the edge we need to win games, and l agree with that.
Only time will tell, but it feels like the right direction and I’m optimistic given our much improved squad
Well done Paul . Some people seem to to think there sre only two ways of playing football – a passing game or a long game .Nonsense .There is a middle ground .
How many times last season did we pass for the sake of it almost to build up statistics ?We’d boast about the 600 passes and lose the game .
It’s early days but I like the feel of the new regime.
we HAVE lost the passing. There is way too much space between, not just the players, but the units. There is no connection between those units. Players often left isolated with few options. He also said evolution not revolution. well that’s rubbish too, because we are a million miles from where we were at the end of last season.
As for the players Duff is getting in to play his style? Key was scouted and pretty much in the bag last season. The new left back he has said he knows nothing about. Says is VERY raw, so I dont see him featuring anytime soon, which means our best player in our first 3 league games will continue to play out of position for quite some time.
I’m with jeff. Duff will have to change his mindset/tactics if he’s to get the best out of this squad. At present it looks like we have made the same mistake which cost us Premier League status, by going from Laudrup to Monk. And then in the Championship, from Potter to Cooper. One decision cost us not just in relegation, but also some regular fans who couldnt stomach the fare on show – and have never returned. Cooperball was some of the most turgid stuff I have ever watched. I do not want to experience that again with Duff.
Prior to the last dozen games last season was pretty turgid too
Well I’ve changed my name from frustrated swan from my 1st post in January. A very frustrated swan like most who was disgusted wriththe transfer window and a very arrogant lacklustre manager who refused to change his style. I think we did amazing to get any money for him at all.
Now all of a sudden we have a new attack minded manager and the best transfer window in figures for a long time.
I have alot of faith in Paul Watson and in a manager who has to change the mindset of a team that it’s actually ok to pass forward and out of your own half.
It will take some time to bed in but I do believe it will happen.
We have had major upheaval this window so patience is the key
I think what folks tend to forget is that for the last 2 years the players were told to.play safe short passes going nowhere. In the words of the great Zdenek Zeman a short horizontal pass is futile . It will take time for Duff to rid the players of this static short pass mentality . I like Duff. No messing just straight we needed this, in my opinion.