It seems like the win over Everton has lifted the club out of the relegation and effectively put our fate back into our own hands. But as confident as we are that we can take both Sunderland and West Brom, there is still the possibility of a South Wales derby next season in the Championship. But will Clement be there?
Prior to Saturday’s massive performance against an admittedly out of sorts Everton side, Atletico Madrid winning the Champions League seemed more than a long shot than the alternative Swansea staying up. But as unlikely as that may have seemed, we all know the football landscape can change in the blink of an eye, or as in this case, the flick of a head.
So, what happens to Paul Clement in the worst-case scenario of relegation? As we have said earlier, it seems rather unlikely that he would get the sack when, after all, he finally has the team playing to their respective strengths. Tasked with saving the owners’ skins after the Bradley debacle, Clement has done well in turning the club’s fortunes around and deserves more time to make his mark here.
Of course, getting back to winning took time, and no true Swansea fan will blame Clement for the poor results thus far in his reign. Equally, no one would blame him for relegation if it happened. That said, the board has made some dubious decisions this season and it wouldn’t really come as a surprise if they let him go.
The reasons for sticking with our current boss are quite obvious. He has a respectable CV, and although his only other managerial post was an ill-fated spell at Derby, which led to an unwarranted termination, he has incredible experience with coaching players in high-pressure environments. He also has great management skills and to say he’s getting the best out the squad is a massive understatement.
The problem with this, though, is that just like our best players will find themselves in the shop window if we go down, so will our manager. Mazzarri, Bilic, and Puel are by no means secure in their positions and Watford, West Ham, and Southampton could really benefit from someone like Clement in their search for a replacement.
However, Clement doesn’t seem like a man who would walk away from a challenge, nor a man that feels the Championship is beneath him. In fact, after unjustly being forced out by Derby when they were in fifth place, he might feel he has a personal point to prove.
Hopefully, though, his own past with Derby will not matter should we beat already relegated Sunderland, and Hull fails to take maximum points away at Crystal Palace next weekend. Clement himself remarked that Hull and Palace’s results on Saturday gave the team a massive boost for the Everton game and now the fate is back in Swansea’s hands. The general feeling around the club now is one of optimism.
Clement has finally brought back that sense of stability the club has lacked since we parted ways with the legend that is Garry Monk. So, no matter what happens over the next couple of weekends, one thing is certain, we must do all we can to keep Clement at the helm. His presence isn’t just good for morale for the team, it’s good for the city, too.