Just as it looked like the Swans would be going into a summer with relative calm around the club, the news trickled through about Mark Allen’s dismissal from his post as sporting director.<\/p>\n
Allen has a strong pedigree within the football world having worked with the likes of Celtic and Manchester City so his departure will come as a surprise to many after a largely successful couple of transfer windows.<\/p>\n
What the actual reason is for the Welshman to be put on gardening leave as the Telegraph report is unknown, although Wales Online understand that chairman Julian Winter was unhappy with Allen’s performance.<\/p>\n
He’s been in the public eye a lot recently talking about his hopes for the summer and boss Russell Martin has often spoken of their close relationship, even attending the recent Wales vs Austria match together.<\/p>\n
But something has obviously gone wrong and how much it’ll affect the club’s plans going forward remains to be seen although it’s undoubtedly going to cause some issues in the short term.<\/p>\n
The overriding question remains – where does this leave Swansea ahead of the summer with little in terms of a scouting network left at the club, and them now on the lookout for a sporting director too?<\/p>\n
Previous Head of Recruitment Andy Scott left in early December before Martin’s assistant manager Luke Williams left in mid February.<\/p>\n
This surely leaves the Swans in desperate need of some management at the very top of the football club and ahead of a pivotal summer transfer window suggests that there’ll be the usual chaos in close season that we’ve all become far too accustomed to.<\/p>\n
It’s clear to see what will be needed on the pitch; a centre half, right back, attacking midfielder and some real pace is all required without any departurers (of which there will undoubtedly be a few).<\/p>\n
The likes of Joel Piroe and Flynn Downes will all be attracting suitors and it’ll be vital that the Swans replace well to hopefully deliver a better finish to next season.<\/p>\n