Phil Sumbler
The future of Luke Williams has been under some speculation this month following the links between the Swans manager and the then West Brom vacancy at the back end of December.
Williams was an alleged target for the Baggies as they started their management hunt and with his representatives very keen to make anyone that would listen at the Hawthorns know that he would be interested in the move the relationship with Swansea City, both club and fans, very difficult in the three or so weeks since the links surfaced.
Christmas wins at the Swansea.com Stadium over QPR and Luton got people all of a sudden looking up at the top end of the table and it seemed as if everyone was moving in unison up the table. But press speculation, an aversion to dismissing the links and the representatives work has left us in a position where things are far from rosy in SA1. Heavy defeats to Portsmouth, Southampton and, most recently, Cardiff City have seen the Swans confidence take a beating and it is known that behind the scenes at the dot com the new ownership are less than impressed with the actions of their manager.
It is certainly more than coincidental that in the weeks since the speculation started the results have gone downhill, the Swans have not made (yet) any successful moves in the transfer market and even contract talks with Harry Darling have been shelved. The club seems in a position where there remains unfinished business to be resolved before we can really progress.
As Williams and his squad prepare for the visit of promotion chasing Sheffield United this evening, Andy Coleman has made a comment in his programme notes which suggest that the Swans boss may have just three games to turn around his fortunes and save his position in SA1.
Coleman wrote: “Our focus now is on recovering and demonstrating the resilience that has defined our season so far. Sheffield United will present a tough challenge, but I believe in our players and coaching staff to rise to the occasion and deliver a performance that makes us all proud.
“Looking ahead, we have some important fixtures on the horizon. After today’s match, we travel to face Norwich City on January 25, followed by a home game against Coventry City on February 1. These matches will be vital as we aim to put in strong performances and bounce back from recent disappointments.”
Many believe that the future of Luke Williams has been the subject of at least one conversation between Coleman and his fellow investors and his comments to tend to drop a hint at the fact that the three games are needed for strong performances should the tenure of Williams continue. They are, of course, also the last games before the window closes on February 3 at 11pm, a window which Coleman acknowledges is not an easy one to navigate.
“As we navigate the January transfer window, I want to acknowledge the challenges it presents. Every club is looking to strengthen their squad, but at the same time, no club wants to lose key players. This makes it a very difficult window to navigate and get right.
“We only want to sign players who will genuinely improve our first team, which means we have to be absolutely sure about the targets we are pursuing. Rest assured, we are working diligently to try and make the best decisions for the team and the club’s future.”
It is though the comments on the three games and the need to put in “strong performances and bounce back” that gives the suggestion that this could be borrowed time for Williams. Home games against Sheffield United (2nd) and Coventry (14th) are either side of the visit to Norwich (11th) and all will be a tough test for a side under the guidance of Williams who has overseen four dreadful performances at the start of 2025. The heavy defeats to Portsmouth (22nd) and Cardiff (20th) were pitiful to watch and fall some way short of the standards that anybody will be expecting in SA1 and that will not have gone without comment in the corridors of power.
It will be interesting to see what these three games bring. As Swans fans we can all hope for nine points and Williams position will look very different at that point but it does feel that he needs a decent haul from these three games based on the comments of the Chairman?
Time will tell.
