The pattern of results cannot go on as the Swans sit in seventeenth in the Championship this morning on seventeen points after two away games that should have been so different. The gap between the Swans and the play offs is six points. Not an unassailable position in a extremely tight league.

We have been told that the majority ownership of Swansea City, Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen remain behind head coach, Alan Sheehan and they will continue supporting him for the ‘time being’ That timeframe will only change if the Swans drop further into a relegation fight. They are disappointed in results but like numerous Swansea City fans are seeing there is potential in what the Irishman is trying to achieve.

They also see no point in changing a manager every season but felt in the case of Luke Williams who was sacked in February there was no point in continuing. Back then his performances were poor and displayed little positivity, that isn’t the case this season. With twenty nine ins and outs in the summer the expectation was maybe a bit overcooked that this side would be an immediate success. The positive for Sheehan is it is being noted that performances despite a lot of dísmay are not in the ‘Williams range’ before he left the Swans. There is a marked improvement but the issues remain when putting the ball in the net.

The caution in earlier games this season has been replaced with a more combative strategy but now social media has switched from tolerating the Swans performances to a huge call for Sheehan’s removal. Many of the more conservative Swans fans on X are now joining that call. There has always been an element, including the ‘supporters’ who can’t conduct themselves appropriately on most subjects who are now clamouring for his removal. What they dont see, and it’s obvious to many sensible fans why - is the finance in getting rid of a head coach, and then his assistant. That WILL run into a figure well above a million pounds as we have already reported this week. Then there’s the replacement, possible compensation and a team of coaches. The fact the majority of these social media types dont read reports and therefore prefer an abusive ten word response should tell you all you need to know.

The caveat here for Sheehan is the fluid way the decision makers at the club can change. Richard Montague and two of his team felt that very personally in the late summer. News coming out of the club is now very much diluted since then for certain individuals, and a ‘certain’ journalist has stopped writing his exclusives. Despite reports that Sheehan still has the clubs support, and that seems as about as relevant as an MOT on your car, Ipswich on Saturday at home we think will be the deal breaker. There will be discussions if Sheehan loses miserably or the performance is well under par.

There simply has to be, but it wont be about his leaving.

However, what some people aren’t seeing is the thirty shots over the past two games against top six opposition. That suggests things are much better than the time under Williams which was a continual regression. To some this is noticeable, as mentioned social media and its general toxicity will not. The board see a new side being put together, albeit slowly that will click and will be productive. They see this pathway as positve and despite the home attendance being down on expectations the League Cup brought in unplanned cash. As Chairman, Tom Gorringe’s has stated this week the club is on a decent financial footing. Okay, they are in and around the profit and sustainability thresholds but they are managing the club very carefully. Success on a low level maybe but it is built around this head coach and his team, under the guidance of recruitment guy Adam Worth the system hasn’t changed. It is still based upon old fashioned scouting combined with performance data. That’s why the Swans have Zeidane Inoussa, Melker Widell, Marko Stamenić, Ethan Galbraith and Adam Idah in their ranks. (Below) Cameron Burgess may not be living up to all expectations especially with the ball at his feet- but the same selection system was applied. Eom is having a good season and despite indifferent performances Franco seems to be of value when on form, which isn’t all the time. The recruitment of Kaelan Casey on loan was a masterstroke and Malick Yalcouyé will find his feet after the internarional break.

This is a good team which the club and the staff behind the scenes all very much believe in.

Once Vipotnik is back to full fitness, and we do expect to see him this Saturday at home to Ipswich (3pm) He is having some investigations into his quad issue today and tomorrow and if given the all clear he will be in the squad. That will clear him to join up with the Slovenian World Cup Qualification squad with them needing two wins this international break. On that we have been told, ‘If Vipi is in what the club beleive to be a good place to play for his country then he will go. But we will be sending him with a specific training programme and daily rehabilitation’ When we say all clear we mean fit to play not firing on all cylinders. Zan as we have been saying all week was absolutely determined to play for Slovenia during the international break and his inclusion this week has been very much down to his personal goal to do so. Risky yes ,and there’s no guarantee of it working, if it doesn't the Swans will be the fall guys.

Marko Stanemic is very much in the air, the expectation at the club is even if he returned today he wouldn’t be a starter on Saturday. More likely on the bench. Marko has been a revelation since joining the club and being pushed into a more advanced role. He is clearly a huge miss.

So, the news coming out of the club is clear, shout as much as you want but Alan Sheehan is well supported and stays at Swansea City. Like every manager he will leave eventually, but it wont be at the behest of noisy people who think money grows on trees and dont possess all the facts when it comes to the logistics of sacking and replacing managers.

That’s the reality.

Sheehan photo : Open Source : Collage Swansea Independent

thomas65 added 19:16 - Nov 6 The only issue here is if the football continues to be boring and pedestrian, attendance at home games will continue to decline. For every 1000 off the gate , after a further half dozen games the loss of gate receipts will start to outweigh the cost of compensation. I’m not saying I want him gone now , but I simply can’t see any progress and we’re sleepwalking into the relegation zone. It is a conundrum.

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KeithHaynes added 19:35 - Nov 6 He hasn’t got masses of time and Ipswich is very important not just performance wise but results wise too.
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johnjubal1958 added 12:33 - Nov 7 I fully agree to a point and it's about points on the board at the end of a season right!? Yet, the same crown calling for his head right now are the same one's who called to give him the job! No one likes to be put under pressure because it effects everyone around them. The Swansea are known to be a family club right, do family members through a family member overboard when things get touch? Yep, they do! I will keep pipping the same mantra, be patient and wait and see. Sheezy not once but twice pulled us out of a mess twice but the nay sayers keep forgetting this big issue because they have short memories and demanding success and want it now! It's November for goodness sake and should we win on Saturday then everybody will be sucking up to him. They'll take the sweet and easy way rather than having through the tough times first! How many professionals sports men and women go through they tough times before they come good? All of them! Every player now are busting a gut for each other and for the fans and it takes a good coach to do achieve that. They did tell us it was not going to happen over night right but it's seems no one was listening! They pick the juicy bits and through out the rest because they don't want that do they! If you want to have success immediate then it's time to wake up, life don't work that way, or were you born with a silver spoon in your mouth and got everything you wanted by demand it?! It's time for some to grow up and their thumb out of the mouth and stop complaining! All I say is wait and see and if (a big if) things continue to the point of a change is required then let it be so. No one can predict what will happen next week let alone the end of the season! No, I refuse to jump on that bandwagon because people can't get what they want right now! Life isn't like that or have you not noticed? Hard work pays of is the old saying right and every successful person knows this! But nay sayers simply want their fast food and they want it now! Well sorry it doesn't always work that way!!

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johnjubal1958 added 12:41 - Nov 7 PS. That guy who said same old long ball Swansea City on YouTube I replied to his comment. The guy isn't even a Jack. You take one comment like that and you make a meal out of it! Wow, real imaginative!
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