When the axe fell, the board were unanimous
PAUL Clement had lost elements of support in the Swansea City boardroom weeks before the final call to end his time at the Liberty Stadium.
But it was only in the aftermath of the defeat to Everton – a result that ensured they will spend relegation in the Premier League’s relegation places – that Swans decision-makers came to the reluctant and united agreement that they couldn’t afford to give him any more time to turn things around.
Discussions over Clement’s future had been taking place on a regular basis over the past month and more as he struggled to find any form in his second season in South Wales.
There was an eagerness to give the former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich No.2 as much opportunity as possible to recapture the success of last season. Having been appointed in early January with the club bottom of the table, Swansea picked up 29 points from 19 games to save the side from relegation.
US majority shareholders Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien genuinely did not want to make a change and there was an acceptance that, after losing Gylfi Sigurdsson late in the summer transfer window and the failings to adequately improve the squad in return, Clement should be allowed to benefit from January spending.
However, while Swansea were not cut adrift completely, it is understood unanimous support had begun to waiver in recent weeks and a call may have been made to axe the 45-year-old had Swansea not beaten West Brom.
With subsequent performances not giving any greater support of the hope Clement could find a greater response from players, further discussions following the 3-1 loss at Goodison sealed the manager’s fate.
Concerns are said to have reached tipping point that he could find a fresh way forward with the ultimate decision unanimous among board members.
Potential candidates for replacements had already been drawn up but would not have been fully acted upon until after the call to sack Clement had been made.
Players remained supportive of Clement and his work on the training ground, said to be far superior to recent previous appointments.
While there was a dressing room row after the defeat at Stoke, it is thought that the efforts of one or two individual players were the subject of the heated words rather than the manager.
However, there had been a loss of faith that Clement could get any more out of the team regardless of fresh faces in January, while there had also been growing concerns of whether he could re-introduce Swansea’s playing identity with fans having been critical of the cautious approach.
Clement had been set for a meeting over recruitment but had not been aware of the decision that was being made.
He undertook media duties and took charge of training yesterday afternoon, the session having been put back after a weatheraffected delay returning from Liverpool.
Players and staff were unaware of the decision until it broke in the media, with the squad being officially told of the decision on Thursday morning ahead of training at Fairwood.
Player-coach Leon Britton and Under-23 managers Cameron Toshack and Gary Richards took charge of the session.