Some Swansea fans will see the 2018/19 season as a hugely disappointing one for the Swans, primarily due to that fact that at the outset of the campaign, many were hopeful of a quick return to the Premier League.
Unfortunately, despite the Swans finally winning an away game on Easter Monday at bottom of the table Ipswich Town, it looks likely that their poor away form really put paid to any serious play-off hopes the team had weeks ago and a mid-table finish to the season will tell its own tale.
Having won their first major trophy when they lifted the Football League Cup in 2013 having thrashed Bradford City 5-0, to their first foray in UEFA Europa League the following season, the Jack Army sampled some great moments. But relegation sadly brought that all to an end.
Now – not only has the football itself been a let-down – with Premiership funds drying up, Swansea City football club have been left staring a £30-million hole in the finances in the face.
Trevor Birch taken on to get finances back in line
The appointment of Trevor Birch as the new chairman is the club’s answer to dealing with their impending financial crisis.
Birch, a former footballer who is now an English chartered accountant, was involved with Roman Abramovich in the Chelsea take-over bid.
The club’s American owners believe he is the man to get them back on track financially and to help them restart afresh.
The Swansea City Supporters’ Trust have met with the new chairman and believe that he is the right man for the job, although they have voiced concerns about his pay package and whether or not it will impinge on the Trust’s minority stock ownership.
Selling James would help with finances
With this season all but done and dusted, Swansea need to start looking ahead to next season and thinking hard about how they can make a realistic bid for promotion back into the Premier League.
Of course, they have that huge financial deficit to think about and one significant contribution toward cutting that down would be to consider selling Daniel James.
It obviously won’t be a popular move as far as the fans are concerned.
Having said that, they are pragmatic enough to realise that the Swans could make a big profit by selling him on. It would be a shame because he has really blossomed this season.
However, it is felt that he could be sold for somewhere around the £20-million mark and that would fill a significant part of the money hole.
On keeping Graham Potter
Graham Potter, the Swans’ manager, is going to have a tough season coming up.
Looking back over this year, Potter has done an excellent job; especially considering that he has had to contend with losing key players as the American owners sought to minimise their losses. It has to be said though, that these transfers are why the Swans are languishing mid-table.
Potter took the Swansea job after a seven-year stint as manager of Ostersunds, a Swedish team that plays in the Allsvenskan – the foremost tier of club soccer in Sweden. When Potter joined them, it was his first managerial position and the club was in the fourth tier of Swedish football.
He oversaw their climb to the first tier, winning three promotions during his stay. It this record of success that drew the attention of Swansea and it is hoped he will be able to get the Swans back up to the Premier League in the not too distant future.
With his track record, some fans may well fancy having a small wager on the possibility.
It has been rumoured that Celtic are interested in him joining them but for his part, Potter is just putting it down to media speculation.
The Jack Army will be hoping that is the case.