TIME’S UP, CLEMENT
Swansea talk to Martinez and Koeman
SWANSEA CITY are searching for their third manager in the space of a year after sacking Paul Clement last night in a desperate bid to save their season.
Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday that the club’s hierarchy were on the brink of making a change and they have now acted, with Swansea bottom of the Premier League table after eight defeats in 10 games.
It is understood former boss Roberto Martinez, who is currently managing the Belgian national side, has been sounded out in what would be a stunning move, albeit one that is unlikely before the World Cup.
It is also believed that contact has been made with Ronald Koeman, while Frank de Boer, Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic and Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder have supporters at the club. Sources insist no move is planned for Tony Pulis.
Ambitiously, the club intend to have a new manager in place in the next 48 hours ahead of the next game, against Crystal Palace at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.
The club’s American owners had been reluctant to make a change after Clement inspired an immense change in fortunes in avoiding relegation last season. But the woeful results and poor performances have been decisive in a decision that was taken yesterday afternoon.
Intriguingly, Clement retained the support of his players, but there was an acceptance among the club’s leadership that he simply was unable to get a response any more. That, though, could be more to do with such a weak squad of players and personalities.
For that, a heavy share of the responsibility within the club is being put on the recruitment department, according to club sources.
The loan signing of Renato Sanches has fallen horribly flat, which, combined with the arrivals of Wilfried Bony and Tammy Abraham, has not balanced the summer losses of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente.
It has been telling that after they splashed out £11million on Roque Mesa, it took until late November before he got a sustained run in the side amid claims from Clement that he was struggling to adapt. That has been privately held up as an example of a faulty transfer system.
The irony is that it was once held up as a success story in the Premier League, along with the team’s style of play and local ownership. Each of those notions has now disappeared, with the club in disarray and supporters regularly berating the ownership on match days.
As recently as last week, Clement was expected to get a transfer window to turn the club round, but the 3-1 defeat at Everton on Monday was his last stand. His assistants Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi have also left the club.
Chairman Huw Jenkins said: ‘To change the manager, especially at only the halfway point of the season, is the last thing we wanted to do as a club.
‘We had three different managers last season and as a result we all wanted to give Paul as much time as possible to turn things round. But we felt we couldn’t leave it any longer and needed to make a change to give us the best chance of an uplift and a turnaround in fortunes with the club bottom of the Premier League.
‘Paul has been at the club for 12 months and what he achieved in the second half of last season to keep us in the top flight was a tremendous feat. For that, and his effort and commitment this season, it goes without saying that the club thanks him for his work, together with Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi.
‘I have had an excellent working relationship with Paul and we are all, including the owners, surprised and disappointed it hasn’t worked out this season.
‘We wish Paul every success in his career going forward.’
Clement replaced Bob Bradley at the start of this year, after the American was sacked last December following his arrival in place of Francesco Guidolin.
Interestingly, Swansea have got rid of a manager in each of the past three Decembers, with Garry Monk having been axed in December 2015.