Phil SumblerRussell Martin says that the focus of the Swans plans this week has been what we need to do and not the challenges that the opposition may present especially when that opposition is managed by someone who knows many of his squad very well.
The Swans will welcome Nottingham Forest to the Swansea.com stadium this afternoon with the visitors of course managed by former Swansea manager Steve Cooper which has been the subject of much discussion in the press this week.
Martin is well aware of the credentials of his opposite number tomorrow and he said of the man in the opposing dugout “His record speaks for itself. Two play-offs is a really good feat.
“Every manager has their own way of doing things but what he did here, I don’t think anyone can come in and criticise.
“What he did leave here was a group of players who are culturally really strong in terms of the way they work together, how willing to work they are.
“That certainly made it easier for us coming in.”
Martin will be leading the Swans tomorrow hoping to end a pretty poor run that has seen us take just four points from the last fifteen available and he is preparing his squad with our game plan in their mind rather than worrying too much about how Cooper may line up his side and expects them to adjust their game for their visit to South Wales anyway.
“We watch a lot of opposition matches and a lot of the time it changes for us. How they set up can be quite a large difference against us.
“But we’ll be prepared for whatever they do bring. We’ll work on us, not the opposition all week. We’ll wait and see.
“Of course, every game at this level is tough. Both teams are part of this pack in the middle that is very close – one defeat can send you a long way down and one win can shoot you right up the league.
“I think with that and the return of an ex-manager makes it interesting for a lot of people, but for us it’s another game. It’s a home game. We’ll try to impose our game as much as we can.”
The game kicks off at 3pm.
