It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
By this point, many might have reasonably expected John Eustace to have been unveiled as the new manager of Swansea City.
Steve Cooper’s departure last week wasn’t exactly a surprise. Indeed, the club even admitted they had known of his exit two weeks before it was announced.
That startling admission clearly hasn’t gone down well with fans, and it’s not too difficult to see why, but frustrations have clearly gone up a notch in the last 24 hours or so.
News of Eustace’s shock late U-turn, which is understood to heave been made for personal reasons, meant Swansea’s plans were laid to ruins, less than two weeks before the start of the new season.
A number of names have been mentioned as a result, but we understand the latest search has now come down to two candidates.
Former Chelsea and Derby County assistant Jody Morris and current MK Dons boss Russell Martin are the pair being considered in what now appears to be a two-horse race.
Here’s the full lowdown on the two candidates, and the pros and cons that both bring to the table.
Read more: Get Swansea City’s 2021-22 season off to the best start with our special edition club annual
Jody Morris
Morris has never held a job in senior management before, having previously been assistant to Frank Lampard at Derby County and and Chelsea.
He’s been out of work since Lampard was dismissed at Stamford Bridge and, let’s be honest, the lack of a compensation fee will likely be a big plus point for the Swans’ hierarchy.
So, too, will his track record with young players.
Much like predecessor Steve Cooper, Morris has worked with some of British football’s brightest young stars.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Fiyako Tomori, Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount have all benefited from his guidance and, with Swansea likely to be once again so reliant on developing their youngsters, it seems a good fit.
The big question would be what sort of football Morris would like his team to play.
While Cooper earned good results, his style of football underwhelmed some sections of the Jack Army, and it’s not really clear what sort of football a Swans side would play under Morris.
Cooper’s style might not be missed by some fans, but his contacts book certainly will.
Having worked with the England under-17s side that won the World Cup, Cooper was able to persuade some of the country’s hottest prospects to join the club, and was clearly trusted to by managers higher up the footballing food chain.
Given his work with Chelsea, Morris may well feel he’s similarly well placed to bring high-calibre connections to the table.
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Russell Martin
The Scotsman is already earning plaudits for his attractive style of football, although results haven’t always seemed to follow.
Martin took over in November 2019 following the sacking of Paul Tisdale, with the club seemingly destined for a relegation battle.
The former defender inspired an upturn in form and steered the club to safety, ending the season with just one defeat in the final seven games.
The Dons then finished 13th the following season.
It’s a record which is unlikely to set too many pulses racing in SA1, but Martin is nevertheless seen as a coach with a big future.
Indeed, his possession-based brand of football is arguably in keeping with previous appointments, and the Swans board may well see him as a good philosophical fit.
It’s perhaps worth noting that Martin worked with pretty meagre resources in Milton Keynes, with loans and free transfers making up a majority of the club’s arrivals.
Swansea’s transfer policy, an understandable source of frustration for fans, will likely feel very familiar.
Cash is clearly going to be even tighter at the Liberty Stadium than before, and the new boss will certainly need to be creative in the transfer market.
On the subject of finances, the Swans would need to pay a compensation fee if they decide Martin is the right man to lead the club, which could potentially be a stumbling block.
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