The Swansea Way – Duff tells us its in the past

[swansnews]

Michael Duff has delivered a blow to anyone hoping to return to the Swansea Way of the past and says that football has changed in the past twenty years and that the fans need to change with it. Duff was speaking before his side got their first league win of the season with a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday...

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[Neath_Jack]

He needs to hush his gums now. He’s turning more and more fans against him with his poorly thought out pressers.

 

[monmouth]

Incredible. Why the hell mention that again. Just get on with whatever it is he's trying to do.

Edit - oh, it's an old rehash of what he said earier. PS News, shame on you

 

[cadleigh]

Seriously, what on earth could anyone find to disagree with in what he said? The way we played evolved from one manager to another and even under individual managers during the heyday of the so-called ‘Swansea Way’. The only coach we have had who was committed to freezing the game in aspic and allowing no development at all was Russell ‘No Plan B’ Martin, and we all know how that went. Things move on and we have to move with it, otherwise we’d be kicking water-soaked leather footballs and wearing shorts down to our knees. Or worse, sporting mullets and those ghastly semi-speedos.

 

[Darran]

Seriously, what on earth could anyone find to disagree with in what he said? The way we played evolved from one manager to another and even under individual managers during the heyday of the so-called ‘Swansea Way’. The only coach we have had who was committed to freezing the game in aspic and allowing no development at all was Russell ‘No Plan B’ Martin, and we all know how that went. Things move on and we have to move with it, otherwise we’d be kicking water-soaked leather footballs and wearing shorts down to our knees. Or worse, sporting mullets and those ghastly semi-speedos.

Brilliant post and absolutely spot on.
We’ve got far too many entitled twats in our fanbase,

 

[monmouth]

Brilliant post and absolutely spot on.
We’ve got far too many entitled twats in our fanbase,

There is no swansea way anyway, it's just arrogant arseholery. I've seen everything from 'Bentleyball' and Greggball' (sheesh!) through 'Toshball' (the best for my money, even considering 'Laudrupball and 'Rogersball') to 'Duffball' and every single one has been different.

The problem with what he said is it'll be read as not playing football and lumping it up the field, and antagonise the Cult. He really doesn't need to hand out sticks for people to beat him with.

 

[Darran]

There is no swansea way anyway, it's just arrogant arseholery. I've seen everything from 'Bentleyball' and Greggball' (sheesh!) through 'Toshball' (the best for my money, even considering 'Laudrupball and 'Rogersball') to 'Duffball' and every single one has been different.

The problem with what he said is it'll be read as not playing football and lumping it up the field, and antagonise the Cult. He really doesn't need to hand out sticks for people to beat him with.

Well said.

 

[Vetchonian]

There is no swansea way anyway, it's just arrogant arseholery. I've seen everything from 'Bentleyball' and Greggball' (sheesh!) through 'Toshball' (the best for my money, even considering 'Laudrupball and 'Rogersball') to 'Duffball' and every single one has been different.

The problem with what he said is it'll be read as not playing football and lumping it up the field, and antagonise the Cult. He really doesn't need to hand out sticks for people to beat him with.

Great post Mon, I would challenge one of the cult to please define/describe the Swansea Way...I have repeated this ad nauseam but this was a reference to how we did things as a club player acquisition , wage structure etc until that goal at Fulham which game after all those passes then a MOTD analyst added that adjective to it....for me "the Swansea Way" died in our PL years when we signed Bony and with the appointment of Laudruap. That doesnt say we still didnt see some good football.

You have seen more of us than myself I began watching under the other Harry...but your analogy supports my post, Im sure the good football we played in the 50s my Dad watched when we had the likes of Ivor, Cliff Jones, Terry Medwin et al was different to that played by us under Tosh, Martinez, Rodgers or Laudrup....each manager puts their own twist also the games has evolved, the ball boots physical training medical support diets and the dreaded analysis have all evolved the game coupled with the filthy lucre brought by Sky.

Duff was a little mad to say this but what he said is true, I have said before was Martinball anything like Martinez ball, Laudrup ball or Brendan ball?

 

[swansvalleyjack]

Of course there has been a Swansea Way, pretty consistent as well under consecutive managers, notably Martinez, Rodgers and Laudrup, and tried to be continued with younger managers like Clements and Potter. I also grew up under the Toshack era, that was great but the later "Swansea Way" over a longer period has been the best in our history. And recognised and lauded across the country. Passing with a purpose, triangles everywhere, pacy wide play, creative midfield.solid defence ( not suicidal). In short - bloody entertaining. Anyone saying otherwise is talking rubbish. But like all things football, it's cyclic and so we entered Cooperball and Martinball. And what a bore-fest those years were. Jury still out for me on Duff, but with Ginnelly just watching him for last couple of games, at least he's got me off my seat. The second half goals on Saturday were great as well. If that continues under Duff I'm fine to mix up his style and the old, but don't throw all the old all away. ( I'm not including Martin here, his "level" I never want to see again).

My main concern is development of the Under 21's, 18's etc and how they are integrated into the senior side. As mentioned in another post, what is the strategy and vision going forward ? I'm not sure what it is.

 

[ARQS]

If anyone thinks that the way we played under Martinez, Brendan and Laudrup was remotely similar to anything we've seen since Potter left, they probably weren't there to watch it.

When I think of the zenith of the Swansea Way, I think of the WBA game under Laudrup. Quick, incisive, attacking football with a bit of flair. None of which happened under Cooper or Martin. Apart from Laird in the first couple of months under Martin, I don't remember us ever utilising any pace, breaking quickly or trying to beat a full back. All of which we have seen under Duff.

Apart from all that, football is constantly evolving and we need to move with the times. Can't be harping back to something that worked 15 years ago.

 

[LeonWasTheDog's]

If anyone thinks that the way we played under Martinez, Brendan and Laudrup was remotely similar to anything we've seen since Potter left, they probably weren't there to watch it.

When I think of the zenith of the Swansea Way, I think of the WBA game under Laudrup. Quick, incisive, attacking football with a bit of flair. None of which happened under Cooper or Martin. Apart from Laird in the first couple of months under Martin, I don't remember us ever utilising any pace, breaking quickly or trying to beat a full back. All of which we have seen under Duff.

Apart from all that, football is constantly evolving and we need to move with the times. Can't be harping back to something that worked 15 years ago.

I don’t think anyone is claiming we’ve always played the same way, which is why Duff’s comments make no sense. He seems to be inventing an imaginary enemy to rail against. It’s all very odd. People were unhappy because the results were crap and we looked clueless. Nothing more than that.

 

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

What The oft quoted “Swansea Way” to me, just means keeping the ball on the deck, pass and move, it’s not rocket science and it’s hardly revolutionary thinking.
All the great past Liverpool managers played this way, with also many other not so famous managers making a very tidy living out of not just lumping it forwards to a big guy, and living off the second ball knockdowns.
Even if this form of football floats your boat, so what?
I think it was Graham Taylor at Watford,when he was coming up the leagues with us in the Toshack days, who had one of the first football analysts that looked into one of the most successful ways of scoring goals, and it was quick ball to 2 speedy wingers, one was Luther Blissett and I think the other was John Barnes, and crossing to Ross Jenkins.
These games against Watford were always entertaining, with the two contrasting styles of football making some epic games to watch.
So who’s to say The Watford Way, isn’t a credible style against The Swansea Way?
If it’s good to watch, and especially if it puts a W in the column, who cares?
So I’m with Michael Duff on this one, after watching 2 seasons of The Fraud squad (Martinball) give me something else if that is the perceived “Swansea Way”
Time to move on from endless passing and getting nowhere.

 

[JackSomething]

Seriously, what on earth could anyone find to disagree with in what he said? The way we played evolved from one manager to another and even under individual managers during the heyday of the so-called ‘Swansea Way’. The only coach we have had who was committed to freezing the game in aspic and allowing no development at all was Russell ‘No Plan B’ Martin, and we all know how that went. Things move on and we have to move with it, otherwise we’d be kicking water-soaked leather footballs and wearing shorts down to our knees. Or worse, sporting mullets and those ghastly semi-speedos.

Take from this what you will, and it's certainly no defence of Martin, but 'there's no Plan B' was one of the most common refrains on Planet Swans when we'd fail to win a game under Martinez, Rodgers, etc.

 

[ARQS]

Take from this what you will, and it's certainly no defence of Martin, but 'there's no Plan B' was one of the most common refrains on Planet Swans when we'd fail to win a game under Martinez, Rodgers, etc.

However there were times, especially under Rodgers, where we went places and battled and fought for an important 0-0 draw. I don't think that would have happened under Martin.

 

[Arthurmorgan]

Every club plays “their way” due to how they’re managed, I think with Swansea it is/was more a brand kind of thing, a kind of sound bite of sorts, as nobody revolutionised wheels etc, just under the likes of laudrup and Rodger’s, we were under more of a global audience, and were fancied by pundits for playing nice football, I will admittedly state there’s plenty I have scrutinised about what Duff has said, but I also will say that I think he’s just not press refined if that’s fair and says things that are taken out of context possibly, and couple that with the fact we’re not a happy family as we speak, he’s never going to please everyone.
All we are really interested in is replicating Saturdays result a few more times, then not many people will give a hoot about what he says, I appreciate we’re not seeing the football we want see, and certainly not seeing the results we want to see, we just have to hope we start seeing results, he does still have much to prove, as do the squad, but I don’t think he’s said much wrong here personally.