Get Bony back in team, or cut him loose – James
FORMER Swans and Wales ace Leighton James has called on the Liberty Stadium club to either play Wilfried Bony or let him go.
The powerful Ivorian striker, who is currently in his second spell with the Swans, has not appeared for the club since suffering a long term knee injury in February.
Club boss Graham Potter has been at pains not to place a time-line on when he thinks Bony will return; that’s despite the front man having returned to training at Fairwood more than six weeks ago.
A fit and focused Bony would be a huge asset for the Swans at Championship level but with a question mark hanging over why he is yet to step up his return to action, James believes it might be best to call time on his association with the club.
“I have been quietly encouraged by what I have seen from Swansea City this season but can’t help feeling there is one big issue that still has to be addressed and resolved: Wilfried Bony,” said James.
“We have not seen the Ivory Coast international since he suffered his knee injury at Leicester and there appears little definite sign of him making a comeback and pulling on a Swansea shirt again.
“I have always been a big fan of Wilf ’s, particularly during his first spell at the club, but the current situation and uncertainty cannot be allowed to go on.
“For the good of all concerned someone needs to make a firm decision and be honest enough to share it with supporters, because the way things are now is no good for anyone involved. Not for the club, and not for Wilfried.
“On the face of it the options are quite simple. He either wants to play for Swansea City again or he doesn’t.
“I know the injury he picked up was a bad one and he has had a long run of problems over the last few years, but he has been training since the end of August yet there has been absolutely no sign of him being anywhere near to playing again.
“We haven’t even seen him have a run out as an over-age player for the Under-23s in order to help him build up his fitness.
“If the medical situation is such that there are doubts about whether he is going to be able to play to the best of his ability again then surely it is best for all concerned to move on and make a fresh start.
“If he is not going to be in a position to contribute before January, or he no longer wants to be at the club, then it would make sense to come to an agreement and allow him to move on. Not everything works out in football and fans will always remember Wilfried for his performances in his first spell at the Liberty.
“Sometimes, you have to know when to shake hands and have a fresh start. There’ll be no hard feelings, it just hasn’t worked out as everybody would have hoped when he returned from Manchester City.
“But, if he does want to play and he feels there is a role he can take with this young squad, then I find it hard to understand why there is such a reluctance to put a time-frame on his recovery.
“Wilfried has the ability to be a dominant figure in the Championship with his power, he would offer something a little different to Oli McBurnie and give the manager Graham Potter another option to consider.
“He could make a big impact and then it is a win-win situation for Swansea.
“If he performs well and gets goals then they either have the option of looking to move forward with him as part of the team and the squad or, given he is the club’s highest earner, if he does well enough to generate interest from elsewhere then they can cash in on him and get money off the wage bill to try and give Potter a few additional players in January.
“The problem right now is no-one can be certain exactly what the outcome is going to be, and I don’t see how that benefits the player, the club or the manager.
“Wilfried’s injury was a serious one, one that not so long ago finished careers, and I am not saying for one second that Swansea should be rushing him back to play if he is not fit.
“But the uncertainty over when we might see him again, reports of setbacks in his recovery, is almost becoming a topic that Swansea will not be able to shake until someone offers a clear answer.
“Surely we need someone to come out and say exactly what is happening with Wilf. Is he going to play for the club again? If so, when exactly? Does he want to play for Swansea City? Has a decision already been taken that he is going to leave in January?
“Because the questions are going to keep coming when it comes to the striker, Potter will keep facing them and the fans are going to want to know one way or the other what the future holds for a man who they have held in such high regard.
“It’s time for someone to front up and be straight down the line on Bony’s situation.”