De Boer and Bilic lead race to take the reins at Swansea

SWANSEA CITY want a new manager in place for the trip to Watford next Saturday, and Frank de Boer and Slaven Bilic are among the leading contenders. De Boer, the former Crystal Palace manager, could be interviewed in the next few days as he pursues a return to the game.

The Dutchman endured a miserable experience of the Premier League with Palace, lasting only five games before he was sacked, yet he has been initially approached by the bottom club.

Bilic appeals to Swansea’s American owners, Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien, as he has proven Premier League experience from his spell with West Ham. He led the club to a seventh-placed finish in 2016, securing their highest-ever points tally in the rebranded top flight.

Swansea are still sifting through potential replacements for Paul Clement and are hopeful of making an appointment for the trip to Vicarage Road.

Swansea face Liverpool on St Stephen’s Day but it is thought that Leon Britton, the interim manager, could still be in place for that clash. Britton will be in charge for the game at home to Crystal Palace today.

“I just need to get a bit of confidence back into the team, maybe some clarity, just make things clear for the players,” he said. “One of the reasons I agreed to take this role is I believe I can have an effect on the team in the immediate future.”

“If we can get that noise going at the Liberty Stadium and hopefully I can try to give the players a lift, I don’t see why we can’t go into this game with a positive frame of mind and get the result.” (© Daily Telegraph, London)