The Swans have missed out on a return to the Premier League for another season, having consolidated a mid-table place in the EFL Championship on what was always likely to be a transitional season under Russell Martin.
That said, it’s quite a dip from last season’s fourth place, which saw the Swans tantalizingly close to returning to the Premier League, albeit after an abject Play-Off Final performance against Brentford.
So, what do they need to do to get back to the top tier of English football? We explore.
They need to sign some additional talent
With the Summer transfer window fast approaching and a lot of contracts being up, many players are wondering where they could end up next season.
Swansea City, for their part, already have some talent in their team but realistically the squad still needs to be strengthened in certain areas.
The Swans’ recent performances, including the history making 4-0 drubbing of Cardiff last weekend, suggest that the nucleus of a good team is there.
Two goal hero Michael Obafemi has hit form, whilst fellow striker Joel Piroe, has to a certain extent carried the team on his back, thanks to his 18 goals to date. Both players are key to Russell Martin’s plans next season.
And then there’s Flynn Downes, who has been rumoured to be approached by Leeds United. Martin alluded to the rumours himself, hinting that he would rather Downes stays exactly where he is.
Downes is another very valuable player in the squad, due to his impressive passing accuracy and consistent performance levels over the season.
But like it or not, things change. Both Downes and Piroe could move onto bigger and better things, and Martin will be left with two big pairs of shoes to fill.
Hopefully, the Swans have already started to look around and see what talent they can nab during the Summer transfer window to bolster a squad that will need it, if it is serious about challenging for promotion next season.
They need a new assistant for Russell Martin
Head coach Russell Martin has been with the Swans since August of last year, which means it’s been 9 months since he replaced Steve Cooper. If you’re compare the results and league position in the EFL Championship, then clearly it isn’t as positive as last season.
Cooper built a Swans team around Andre Ayew and a crop of young loanees, making an impressive in the Championship, gaining them 4th place in the league for two years in a row. It was a long road to that point, starting in 2018, and covering three managers.
To see the team, slide to mid-table having been pushing for a Premier League return for two consecutive seasons is disappointing and the thought of an extended period outside the Premier League would be heart-breaking.
Cooper had a lot of experienced people helping him during his tenue at the Swans, namely Mike Marsh and Alan Tate. They were without doubt adding some much valued input into the Welshman’s thought process.
All sports people want to end up back at the top, whether that’s poker players heading to compete for GGPoker WSOP bracelets or tennis pros desperate to secure Grand Slam titles.
To return to the summit of the English football pyramid, the Swans will probably need a more experienced assistant to help support Russell Martin that what he has now.
Unfortunately for Russell Martin, he hasn’t been quite so lucky, with his original assistant Luke Williams leaving his role at the Swansea dot com stadium in February.
Whilst Matt Gill, Swansea’s technical development coach has stepped up as a part-time replacement, the Swans really need to find a more experienced coach to assist Martin moving forward.
Swansea’s Season of Transition
It was always going to take some time for Martin’s style of managing and play to bear fruit. Martin has previously said his style is shaped from the idea that there are teams that love the ball and teams who hate it.
He is clearly a traditionalist, preferring the tactical style of 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2 formations and isn’t bothered if the fans say it’s boring – which a minority of the Jack Army have this season, especially when positive results weren’t forthcoming.
Maybe Swansea needs someone with more coaching experience to assist Russell Martin. Someone who has some innovative ideas, rather than “trying to keep control of the ball for 90 minutes”. It’s hard to say that the traditional way is the way forward, when it hasn’t always worked.
Of course, whether or not that is due to the change in style of play or purely the squad of players that are adapting to it is debatable and ultimately perhaps only time will tell us which it is.
Russell Martin is currently locked into a three-year contract at the club, so with less than a year under his belt already, fans need to be patient and trust the process, giving the Scot time to mould the style of play with the resources he has.
Whatever happens over the last 7 Championship games of the 2021-2022 season, this Summer will once again be a lively one at Swansea City Football Club.