No magic number! PAUL WON’T PREDICT

WOODGATE’S RETURN STIRS RED-HOT STEW

HARRY PRATT there, a point here’ but afterwards it wouldn’t look anything like we’d expected it to. “That’s why I don’t do it because it never works out like it should in reality. It’s just playing fantasy football and it’s a waste of time.” Clement may have a point. After all, if you cannot call the results at the top of La Liga, what chance do you have of getting them right at the foot of a very t igh t Premier League? Since Clement a r r i ved back in January the Swans have endured mixed fortunes, on ly adding weight to the argument that predicting results is almost impossible.

Successive away defeats at Hull and Bournemouth meant they went into the international break only one place above the drop zone.

Those reverses sparked the first wave of criticism for Clement as Swansea supremo.

Graeme Souness accused his side of being ‘too nice’ but the ex- Derby boss said: “I was disappointed, too, so maybe we are together on that!

“We’re focused on staying in this league and know the implications are massive if we don’t.

“The players know playing for their futures.”

While he can accept stick off the experts, abuse from social media trolls is a different story.

Clement has 70,000 Twitter followers but uses it sparingly – and urges his players to do the same.

He said: “I tweeted a positive message about Derby and someone said, ‘I suppose you’ll be winning the Champions League next’.

“So I posted a picture of my Champions League winners’ medal – I later took it down. “It’s best not to get involved.” they’re STEVE AGNEW has revealed that Jonathan Woodgate’s return to Middlesbrough has helped revitalise Stewart Downing.

Ex-Boro centre-back Woodgate – Downing’s brother-in-law – will be in the away dugout for this afternoon’s relegation clash at Swansea as newly appointed first-team coach.

Playmaker Downing, 32, was exiled by former boss Aitor Karanka, sparking a training ground bust-up that was key to the Spaniard’s exit last month.

But caretaker boss Agnew, Karanka’s assistant, recalled Downing (right) for his first game in charge – the 3-1 home defeat by Manchester United.

And he acknowledged the instant influence of Woodgate, 37 (below) – backing him as a future manager.

Agnew said: “Woody coming back helps not just Stewart but all the players Woody knows. He’s a well-respected footballer and now he’s become a well-respected coach.

“I think Jonathan will grow and grow as a coach. Eventually, I’m sure CLIVE HETHERINGTON he’ll go on to have a long and successful coaching career and go into management.’’ The stand-in Boro boss says Downing is vital to his plans today and he said: “Stewart’s left foot, with his movement and ability to go past people, is something we’ve seen for years. “I think he’s a player the rest of the group look up to as well. I think he can be vital towards a top performance.” Agnew also insists centre-back Ben Gibson, 24, will benefit from working with Woodgate. He said: “Jonathan played here with Ben and he’s helped him. “Even last season he did video clips with him one-to-one, so Ben is delighted.’’