Swansea City: Has Andy Coleman given Luke Williams three more games?

Tuesday, 21 January 2025, 7:55
43
3 mins read

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.

Embed from Getty Images

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.

Embed from Getty Images
Do you want the latest news from JackArmy.net direct to your phone? Then subscribe to our Telegram channel here
Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.

Loading new replies...

3
3swan

Lee Trundle

1,991 messages 225 likes

Whether his future is dependent on these 3 games, they are pivotal.
We don't just need improvement in performance but more importantly we need points.
So far this year we have had a cup defeat, in the league a draw and two defeats.
These 3 games are going to be very difficult to say the least.
Tonight should be a defeat, we've had mixed results at Norwich.Coventry haven't beaten us since 81., Is this their year?

We need results, or our results in games this year will seriously have us looking over our shoulders.

Reply Like

p
peter

Reserve Team Player

50 messages 10 likes

the squad we currently have is carrying to many injuries in key positions, with no good replacements long with players not playing well with no quality replacements, a squiad that is lacking in confidence in need of a lift and some new faces in and before the end of this window or the spiral down will continue right into div 1
whoever is running the show needs to sort it out between now and the window shutting, planning nowhere to be seen, new investment nowhere to be seen, new outlook nowhere to be seen in fact no change from old owners they like the current lot talked a lot but no real quality things did or are happening still a shambles

Reply Like

click to expand...
T
T8AD365

First Team Player

396 messages 193 likes

I never understand why clubs do this sort of thing "the manager has 2/3 games to save his job". If it's got to that stage then they clearly don't have confidence in him so just get rid of him.

In the unlikely event that we win all 3 games but then lose the next 3, do they give him a similar ultimatum and the cycle continues all over again?

Reply 3 Likes

Avatar of Dr. Winston
Dr. Winston

Mel Nurse

2,059 messages 488 likes

The three games in question include matches at home to Sheffield Utd and away to Norwich. Not generally points bankers for us.

Even if performances improve, and it's hard to imagine them being worse, results probably won't.

Might as well pull the trigger now.

Reply 3 Likes

Avatar of Swansea93
Swansea93

Alan Curtis

3,869 messages 356 likes

Williams out on gardening leave

Sheehan and co till end of the season

New manager in summer

January window don’t waste potential funds for summer, instead get a few decent loans, bring some of the youngsters doing well through and maybe just sign Joe Low

Should be enough to stay in the league

Reply 2 Likes

Avatar of Smurph
Smurph

Ivor Allchurch

4,028 messages 2,184 likes

Not so sure about the injuries, the team he put out against Cardiff was pretty much our strongest starting eleven.

The issue for me is squad depth or the managers reluctance to play fringe players. The likes of Tymon, Darling, Cabango, Ronald, Grimes and even Key are more or less guaranteed a start every week.

Reply 1 Like

Avatar of Smurph
Smurph

Ivor Allchurch

4,028 messages 2,184 likes

I don't know what the next three games are going to tell us that the previous fifty two haven't already.

Reply 5 Likes

Avatar of Swansea93
Swansea93

Alan Curtis

3,869 messages 356 likes

Sheehan gave Parker his senior debut after all.

Reply Like

A
AusinIsOurHero

First Team Player

208 messages 89 likes

I'd say Ollie Cooper is the only really noticeable injury. The team against Cardiff was arguably our strongest starting XI.
The issue is that its a team & squad desperately low on quality, confidence & numbers and to make things worse, LW doesn't know how to get the best out of the players he has.
Changing Cullen from his 10 role to up top, we neither had the physical presence of Vipotnik or the pace of Bianchini to run in behind, nullifying any hint of a threat we had going forward.

Reply 1 Like

Avatar of Smurph
Smurph

Ivor Allchurch

4,028 messages 2,184 likes

Saturday's game was crying out for more of a physical presence up front and he goes with Cullen up top on his own.

Needed someone putting themselves about making it uncomfortable for their central defenders instead we have someone with the physique of Ronnie Corbett.

Reply 3 Likes

Phil Sumbler

Been watching the Swans since the very late 1970s and running the Planet Swans website (in all its current and previous guises since the summer of 2001 As it stood JackArmy.net was right at the forefront of some of the activity against Tony Petty back in 2001, breaking many of the stories of the day as fans stood against the actions where the local media failed. Was involved with the Swans Supporters Trust from 2005, for the large part as Chairman before standing down in the summer of 2020.

League Table

Next Up

Next Up

League Table

Last 6 Results

Latest from Blog

Swans TV: Josh Tymon on Bristol City | Reaction

. . . Josh Tymon talks to Swans TV following yesterday's 1-0 win against Bristol City at the Ashton Gate Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook:…

Swans TV: Lewis O’Brien on Bristol City | Reaction

. . . Lewis O'Brien talks to Swans TV following yesterday's 1-0 win against Bristol City at the Ashton Gate Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook:…

Swans TV: Bristol City v Swansea City | Highlights

. . .watch some of the key moments from the Swans’ Championship clash against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: / swansplayer Like us on Facebook: /…

Swans TV: Bristol City v Swansea City | Extended Highlights

. . .watch all the key moments from the Swans’ Championship clash against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: / swansplayer Like us on Facebook: / swanseacityfc…

Swans TV: Bristol City v Swansea City | The Full Match

. . .watch all the action from the Swans’ Championship clash against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: / swansplayer Like us on Facebook: / swanseacityfc Follow…

Don't Miss

Swans TV: Josh Tymon on Bristol City | Reaction

. . . Josh Tymon talks to Swans TV following

Swans TV: Lewis O’Brien on Bristol City | Reaction

. . . Lewis O'Brien talks to Swans TV following