He may be on what is described as ‘gardening leave’ which comes with many facets that are agreed in principle when someone in a certain position within a company leaves for pastures new. In this case the individual has been allowed to objectively work for his new employers, why ? Is an answer few if any will know, but it remains a fact.
Paul Watson first came to our notice when we featured him back in April as of interest to the Swans.
That feature is here from the 30th April 2023 –> 🔴 Winter, Marsh, Watson feature
The feature included Josh Marsh who it seems is still in a state of limbo, and Julian Winter who the club eventually got round to announcing as leaving yesterday. They took a while. As we have always said, June in the main is a quiet month for football clubs, that is if everything is rosey in the garden. Swansea City’s withered rose bushes took a drubbing from extreme heat over the last four weeks so some careful care and attention was needed. That came in the form of Paul Watson, and as our headline reads - potentially the biggest signing of this summer window. As we reported as May gathered pace there was information on Paul from his time at Luton Town, and him coming to Swansea.
That feature is here from 23rd May 2023 –> 🔴 Paul Watson agrees to come to Swansea
Yes, there’s no greater time stamp than the internet
We reported these moves and kept people informed quite simply because there are people out there who continue to support the website for their own personal reasons. Now, when Andrew Coleman made his rather odd twitter post on the clubs timeline berating certain people reporting this information, one thing was forgotten. These people ‘already’ knew their fate. It wasn’t as if we or anyone else was breaking news to them of their immediate futures. The issue for Swansea City FC was the fact we knew.
That’s the way it goes at times.
With that now put to one side and clarified we really do have to review the recent impact of Paul Watson at Swansea City. As we said despite him not being officially at the club he has been allowed to work within certain strict guidelines. One being the recruitment of Michael Duff, he was very much the cog in the makings for him coming to Swansea. And of course then there were the negotiations with Southampton, Watson was at the forefront of those as well. Already we can see what a major asset he will be.
Come next week when Paul Watson is an official asset of the club we expect a whole host of changes within the structure of Swansea City. Michael Duff has already made it known who he wants as his backroom staff, and Watson knows as well. That will be a priority although even the remotest of glances in recent footage from the club will see Matt Gill, Ben Parker, Dean Thornton and Matt Willmott not present at the first day return to training. That needs resolving quickly. On that there were a few new faces as well. To us at least.
We first officially reported these four staff leaving along with explanations on the 30th May 2023.
That feature is here –> 🔴 Four staff leaving with Martin
Once these matters are cleared up then we can expect Watson to set about his work as he did at Luton in the recruitment of players in to Swansea City. However now Winter has officially gone he will have a wider remit at the Swans. That makes sense, so next week Watson will get his official appointment. We still have no news on Josh Marsh, but maybe now he will actually stay …
For now.
By now from our features on this website people will be aware of how Paul Watson goes about his business. He is very experienced in identifying and managing players in to football clubs. At Luton his success was the reason in the main the Hatters were promoted. Some will disagree and point to other factors, and of course the management and coaching team at Luton were also responsible but without Watson’s players coming in they wouldn’t have the tools to achieve promotion. We can expect players to be identified who really do fit Michael Duff’s remit this summer. That should be reassuring to those Swans fans who think through behind the scenes matters based on the information they have.
Besides anything that happens on the pitch, Paul Watson will be instrumental as to how this season starts and what new faces we see in a Swans shirt this coming campaign. You can be rest assured there will be a number of signings, the majority not so much of extreme value financially but most certainly of extreme value to Michael Duff and his workmanlike ethos for his squad. They will be physically fit, have aggression in abundance and in two cases we expect to be fast and able to create from wide areas.
Russell Martin leaving means a new era at Swansea City, and it’s really quite exciting.
If you want to read more about Paul Watson check out our feature from the 6th June 2023.
That’s here –> 🔴 Can Watson succeed at Swansea ?