Phil Sumbler
Michael Duff is clearly someone who understands the importance of Swansea City to the community of the area as he talked about last night when he addressed supporters at a fan’s forum held at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Duff talked openly about the enormity of the club and the feeling that people get when they first arrive at the club both players and management.
Duff will lead his side out on their toughest test this weekend when Leicester City visit the Swansea.com Stadium. The Championship leaders arrive with the Swans on the back of four wins and a general increase in optimism that has been lifted by that run of form since the disappointment and anger after the Cardiff defeat.
That increase in optimism and the general feel around the club should mean that we are close to a sell out on Saturday afternoon as we look to halt a Leicester side who have won ten of their eleven games since relegation from the Premier League back in May.
Duff knows that despite that run in form his work at Swansea City remains very much a ‘work in progress’ but he is clearly happy in the way that thigs are progressing as he explained to the fans at the stadium yesterday evening.
“It is a work in progress.” said the Swans boss. “The things we are building will hopefully move us forward. We want to develop players and help them improve, and to have good succession planning for our future.
“That’s what we talk about when we mention using data and structures in recruitment, when we mention the academy, these are all things we are wanting to put in place that will help us moving forward. We are a long way from where we want to be, but the work behind the scenes is going to help us and the players have been great and are working really hard.”
“We are getting there, it’s about the work we do during the week, but we have got a good balance of the two in training. The team has to be built on a framework, but in certain areas you want players to have freedom to express themselves and show their ability.”
“It will take time, but I believe in the work my staff and I do, and I believe it will give us a team that can work hard and press, but also use the ball well.
“I want to win games, and there is an expectancy to play a certain way. You will always want more, I think we are getting closer. I want a team to play good football but be aggressive without it.”
The evidence of the last four games backs up what Duff is talking about and whilst Saturday may prove to be our sternest test of the season the measure of the progress the squad has made can be taken from games like Leicester at home with the Foxes tipped by pretty much every expert to make an instant return to the Premier League of which they were Champions in 2016.
Whilst Duff is clearly doing his work to highlight his ability to succeed as a football manager there is a large chunk of satisfaction that he can take from the work that he is doing benefitting the wider community. He talked warmly about the community feel that there is at the club not just from the fans but the players already here.
With thirteen new signings made in the summer that sense of community was vital to help those players settle into the club and the area not just for their own benefit but the benefit of the squad on the pitch as well and he referenced this when he said “When players move here they have 20 friends instantly, but we have great things like the players’ wives and partners all having a WhatsApp group to help everyone settle in, to help their families get to know the people and the area.
“That is so important, and it tells you a lot about the club and the community around it. You don’t have things like that at every club.”
“The enormity of the club and what it means to the community and the area has stood out for me. This is a big club, but the scale of the support in the surrounding area and what it means to people has really stood out.
“The infrastructure is here and the things that need to be put in place are being put in place. The best part of the club is the club itself, it’s everything. It’s the whole area, the club and what it means to this part of the world.”
