| Swansea City boss Garry Monk always showed hallmarks of a manager, says former S 08:44 - Sep 18 with 385 views | thomasJack |
GARRY Monk always showed signs of management potential – according to a player who helped guide the former centre-back into the world of professional football.
Francis Benali was a senior figure at Southampton when Monk broke into the first team after progressing through the club's youth system.
The pair first played together in a Saints back four in 1998, and that happened twice more before they went their separate ways.
After a string of loan spells, Monk signed for Swansea in 2004 and has remained in South Wales ever since.
Benali's Southampton career ended the same year. He had a short spell with Nottingham Forest before dropping into non-league football.
Many have been surprised by the impact Monk has made as a manager having taken over from Michael Laudrup last season.
But Benali is not shocked to see the man he knew as a youngster in the Dell dressing room go on to impress in the dugout.
"He was a great kid," says the former full-back. "You can never predict who is going to go into management, and this was a long time ago, but I'm not surprised to see him where he is now.
"Monks clearly has the respect of players in the changing room and that's really important for any manager.
"That is not something that comes automatically. You have to earn it."
Monk made his breakthrough at Southampton in a team that featured the likes of James Beattie and Mark Hughes as well as Benali.
His debut was a 1-0 home defeat by Derby County way back in 1998, when Benali played in the same back four.
Monk would make four more top-flight appearances that season – one of them a 7-1 hammering by Liverpool which he still hasn't forgotten – and also featured in the FA Cup.
In total, Monk played 13 times for the Saints before being brought to Swansea by Kenny Jackett more than a decade ago.
Benali, meanwhile, turned out for Southampton on more than 300 occasions over a 16-year spell in Hampshire.
"Monks was a very good young player and I enjoyed playing alongside him. I could see he was going to have a good career," says the 45-year-old.
"I've been extremely pleased to see his career pan out like it has done. It's fantastic.
"He's a strong character who has grown and grown over the years. When he became a senior pro those leadership qualities seemed to increase even more.
"But you don't have a career like he's had without working hard. And he's had that attitude ever since I can remember him as a youngster at Southampton.
"I think it's fair to say he wasn't the most naturally gifted player in the world, but he was extremely committed."
Monk's ten-year commitment to Swansea is what helped land him the manager's job following Laudrup's sacking last February.
And so far the ex-defender has managed to inspire passion he felt in his team.
After being tipped to struggle, Swansea started the campaign with four straight victories and, though they suffered a first defeat of the campaign away to Chelsea last weekend, Monk's men remain third in the table.
From what he's seen to date, Benali believes Swansea could secure a top-ten finish come May.
Southampton proved to be the Premier League's surprise package last season, ending up in a lofty eighth position.
And Benali sees no reason why Swansea can't manage a similar achievement this time around.
"Swansea have had an amazing start and it always gives you a great opportunity if you can come flying out of the blocks like that," he adds.
"I don't think anyone expected Swansea to get a result at Manchester United on the opening day, and confidence will have been sky high after that.
"If they can continue that form then anything is possible. I don't see why Swansea could not finish in the top ten or maybe even a little higher.
"But it is a long old season, there are a lot of things that can happen, the picture changes quickly, so Swansea cannot get too carried away by their start." The Saints made bold claims about pushing for Champions League football last term, but hopes of building on the foundations laid in 2013-14 were severely dented over the summer.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino left for Spurs, while a host of star players also departed for pastures new.
The likes of Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers all said their farewells as Southampton appeared to cash in on their assets.
Following such an exodus, most pundits placed the St Mary's club among the Premier League relegation favourites.
But new boss Ronald Koeman and his side have so far defied the doom-mongers.
After narrowly losing to Liverpool on the opening day, Southampton have gone on a four-game unbeaten run that began with a draw against West Brom, followed by consecutive Premier League victories over West Ham and Newcastle and a Capital One Cup triumph at Millwall.
Their latest success was a 4-0 routing of Alan Pardew's Magpies last weekend.
"With all the players that have gone, a lot of people were writing off the players that were left and tipping Southampton for relegation," Benali says.
"But a lot of the players brought in by Ronald Koeman have done well and I think there is now some optimism about this season."
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Swansea-City-boss-Garry-Monk-showed-hall
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