Wales manager John Toshack has said that Swansea’s inconsistent league form to date was to be expected after the heartbreak of the Millenium Stadium last May.
Toshack has named Owain Tudur Jones in his squad for Tuesday’s friendly with Liechenstein and told the Western Mail ‘There has been a lot of talk about Swansea this season, but I think they are going to be okay,
‘I saw them beat Bournemouth 4-2 the other week and, although they are not yet firing on all cylinders, they are getting it together.
‘To understand why Swansea have been a little inconsistent to date, you have to go back to where they were in the table this time last year.
‘Flying high at the top, six points clear with everyone thinking they would go up automatically.
‘To then miss out, particularly in the play-off final in front of 30,000 of your own fans at the Millennium Stadium, was a huge blow.
‘It was always going to be very, very difficult for the players to get over that and it was bound to take the Swans time.
‘When results weren’t right earlier in the season, suddenly people started looking at things and everyone at the club was under enormous pressure.
‘But they’ve come through that tough period and I honestly think they will move onwards and upwards from here.
‘Swansea have a terrific stadium, decent support and they will learn from the disappointments of what happened last year to try to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
‘Sometimes they say it takes a little disappointment to sharpen your senses. Kenny Jackett will utilise last year’s experience in a positive way.
‘And you know, maybe it’s better for Swansea to be coming from behind.
‘You have an entirely different mind-set when you move upwards to enter these play-off positions towards the end of the season, rather than dip out of the top two to enter them that way.’
This article first appeared on JACKARMY.net.