Grimes deal is a real statement of intent for the Swans’ future
“IF you’re looking at it from a business point of view, it’s a brilliant bit of business.
“But there’s so much more to it than that.”
Russell Martin on Matt Grimes signing a new contract at Swansea City.
It was unexpected news last Friday but extremely welcome.
Everyone - including Grimes, the manager and an agent who laughed at the head coach - believed he was off.
Fulham had pursued him for months and Swansea fans have become accustomed to their prized assets being sold off when offers arrive.
Even in the Premier League years, the likes of Joe Allen, Ashley Williams and Wilfried Bony were pinched by clubs further up the pecking order.
So supporters could have been forgiven for thinking Grimes was packing his bags and giving Foxtons a call.
But he didn’t. The Cottagers didn’t stump up the cash and Swansea’s owners - the often criticised Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien - said no.
Martin gave a firm nod of thanks to the Americans on Saturday when speaking of his happiness over Grimes’ new deal.
Kaplan and Levien have been subjected to criticism in the past but for their part in getting Grimes to stay, they deserve credit. Bridges still need rebuilding but this is another step in the right direction.
“I thought he was going to go in the summer,” Martin admitted. “I think we all did. We sat there on deadline
day at 10pm and we all thought he was going.
“He didn’t. That’s testament to the owners, because we didn’t get the finances they thought Matthew was worth.
“He’d resigned himself to going at some point. Reluctantly. I think what we were hoping was that in January we wouldn’t get an offer until the end of the season.
“Then he came and approached me a few weeks ago, and said that he’d really like to stay if there was an opportunity to get a final offer from the club.”
Martin made no secret of his intense desire to keep his skipper at the club and banged the drum pretty much as soon as he walked in the door at Fairwood in the summer.
He referred to the Swansea captain as a “cultural architect” at the club, a brilliant turn of phrase which the more you hear it the more apparent it becomes.
Grimes is a model pro on and off the pitch, by all accounts, and it is clear that he is a firm disciple of Martin’s philosophy.
Grimes’ - and indeed the owners’ faith in Martin is a clear indication that the club is aligning on the same course, which hasn’t always been the case. And that can only be seen as a good thing.
“In terms of football, he really feels that we could build over a period of time something that he really wants to be a part of,” Martin added of Grimes’ decision to stay in SA1. “For us it’s huge. “I think it makes life easier. It makes recruitment easier because people can see that he’s signed. It’s surprised a lot of people. A lot of agents.
“I was talking to one and said ‘hopefully we’ll keep Grimesy’ and he laughed at me. So I’m looking forward see him again soon!
“If you’re looking at it from a business point of view, it’s a brilliant bit of business.
“But there’s so much more to it than that.”
Those words again. Grimes committing to Martin’s project is massive - not only has it averted a disaster of letting a talented player leave for free, it can now be used as the bait to snare others to the Swansea.com Stadium.
On Friday night the club put out an interview with Grimes on his decision to stay.
He spoke about his love for the club and his commitment to the project, the family feel to Swansea. All great stuff which pulls on the heartstrings.
But it was the way he spoke about his boss that really hammered home his point.
“The way in which we are playing has been massive,” Grimes said. “From the moment the new manager came in I knew I would take to his style straight away and I am enjoying my football now, probably more so than I have any other year.
“It is such a big part of a footballer’s life to be enjoying your football and the football you play. I know it sounds silly, but it has been a huge factor in me staying and I couldn’t be happier.
“The club have appointed a fantastic manager in Russell Martin, and we are on the way to doing something really special here, I believe.”
Our fan columnist Guto Llewelyn has written about the feelgood and fun factor returning to Landore over the past few months and Grimes agreeing fresh terms feeds into that.
By the manager’s own admission, more work is needed at Swansea but keeping hold of the club’s “cultural architect” is the clearest sign yet that things are falling into place nicely.
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