He has come out of the blue some may think, but Vitor Matos, currently the head coach at CS Marítimo has been spoken to over a number of weeks. A late contender he is not. In fact as this progresses the full facts we are sure will come out.

Casting Kim Hellberg well aside (for now) He is moving towards a position at Middlesbrough with a late attempt by his current employers at HammarbyIF to agree a contract this morning. They haven’t the financial means, and purely rely on his loyalty despite matching Swansea City and their offer this past weekend.

Vitor Matos has incensed certain quarters of the Swans support, others are more amiable and there have been shouts of ‘Why the hell didn’t we just keep Sheehan’ A quick look at Matos and his managerial career displays a man who has been on a long coaching journey. Two years at Shandong Taishan in China as a coach inter-dispersed with employment at Porto saw him eventually land at Liverpool. His main role being to monitor and adapt players moving towards first team involvement. He got many plaudits there but Vitor wanted more. In May 2024 he moved to RB Salzburg as an assistant coach. This is where his ability and overall competency is difficult to gauge. He wasn’t a prime mover during his time at Liverpool or in Austria. Stats are impossible to prove when that is the case. However, having been announced in Austria along with Onur Cinel. Pepijn Lijnders (assistant manager at Liverpool) was to be a brief employee in the hit seat at Salzburg. After twenty nine games he was sacked. Matos shortly followed and found himself in a position where his career was being affected by others decision making.

Described as having similar qualities to Kim Hellberg bar of course the experience Matos decided a job offer at Maritímo in the Portuguese second division would work for him. Start there and now be in a position to show what you can do as the boss. That appointment came in the summer of this year. Maritimo aren’t the best of supported clubs with average crowds this season of eight thousand. However, there is huge expectation amongst their fanbase. Even just to get back to the top flight alone. Bruno Abreu is his assistant, the fifty year old possibly isn’t ‘currently’ on the agenda to follow Matos if he secures a job at Swansea. But surely his experience would be invaluable ? Away from there João Nunez and Nelson Santos could be under discussion. Bruno would possibly like the head coach role at Maritimo but all is under wraps and nothing further as yet is known. It’s odds on that Vitor’s appointment (and that’s looking good) will see additional coaching staff, at what level and where they sit in the current set up at Swansea is still under discussion.

If the Swans pay they will get their way. And it’s very much a case now of Matos being massively cheaper than Kim Hellberg. If he fits the bill it doesn’t matter, those on the ground which we are informed publicly are Chairman,Tom Gorringe and head recruiter, Adam Worth will have to stand or fall when / if Matos comes to Swansea. If that’s a consequence of their manager search of course. A lot is being placed on Worth’s shoulders by Brett Cravatt, despite their long term relationships in business this is one hell of a hot potato. We can always hope this is the right direction. Matos has had thirteen matches as head coach at his current club. He has won six. To date he has rejuvenated Maritimo as a club. But it is short term. We discounted Russell Martin yesterday.

⚽️ A manager who won’t be coming No Russell Martin

Where will all this end up ?

It could easily run until Friday as it stands but of course the Swans want a quick decision. They will be awaiting a response from Maritimo for sure. But these things as ever take time. Alan Sheehan only left the Swans officially eight days ago. It’s early days as we still wait an announcement on Darren O’Dea especially who is now taking training with his remaining staff. There’s a game on Saturday but for the sake of getting it right the Swans won’t be rushing to get their man in for that fixture.

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Photograph RB Salzburg

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