Nine years
ago Swansea City was languishing at the bottom of the football league for the
first time. They narrowly escaped condemnation to non – league obscurity at the
expense of Exeter City on the penultimate day of the season. Fast forward to
today and The Swans are sitting pretty on 8th spot in the Barclays
Premier League.
Their
meteoric rise is testament to the spirit of the club. In 2003 Kenny Jackett was the man who truly
initiated the club’s revival. After losing his first six games in charge, he
signed several defensive players for the following season and achieved a record
seven home clean sheets that aided them in grasping promotion. Their return to
League One saw them find a new home at the Liberty Stadium. The next season
brought about the end of Jacketts tenure at the club in mid-season and he was
replaced by Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard instigated an attractive brand of
passing football and almost clinched a play-off spot after losing just once in
his first eleven games. Nevertheless, the team flourished under his guidance
and were promoted the following season and were eventually rewarded with a
place in the Premier League after their 2010-11 campaign that included a change
in the managerial position. Brendan Rodgers replaced Wigan- bound Martinez and
persisted with Swansea’s admirable style of play.
This season
the Welsh club have taken the Premier League by storm, drawing plaudits from
football fans around the world with their attractive brand of football. At the
heart of the team’s impressive interplay lies the formidable midfield pairing
of Leon Britton and Joe Allen. Britton is the sole survivor of the team that
survived in League football nine years ago and has proved to be dominating
force in midfield. The diminutive playmaker has been exceptional this season
and many even seem to think the Englishman has the credentials to earn himself
an international cap. He has statistically been the best passer in the world
this season as of January 2012, boasting a passing accuracy of 93.3%, bettering
Spain’s and Barcelona’s sensational Xavi who recorded 93.0%. The 29 – year old is
unlikely to break into England’s midfield for the Euros this summer but stats
like that make a strong case for his inclusion.
Allen has
complemented his partner in midfield well and is the more attacking of the two.
They are aided by the guile and trickery of Sinclair on the left flank and the
blistering pace of Nathan Dyer on the right. Gylfi Sigurdsson has been an
inspirational signing once Rodgers secured his services on a loan deal. The
Icelander has enjoyed a prolific run at the top of the midfield diamond and has
linked midfield and attack marvellously.
The Swans
recently acquired the scalp of the then table – toppers Manchester City. They
kept the ball better than City and were deserving of the 3 points on home soil
at a stadium that costs less than Sergio Aguero. They followed up that victory
with an equally impressive one at Craven Cottage yesterday where they overturned
their hosts 0-3. No mean feat, considering Fulham’s form at home.
Their
strength in midfield and attack however has not overshadowed the performances
of their rear guard. Captain Ashley Williams has been inspirational in a
defence all season that has been bolstered by the arrival of Stephen Caulker on
loan from Spurs during the January window. The heroics of their Dutch shot
stopper Michel Vorm have caught the eye of several bigger clubs. Their ability
to keep clean sheets especially at home is the reason why they haven’t followed
in the footsteps of last season’s surprise package, Blackpool, who nose-dived
after an impressive start.
The Swans
will be confident and should be shooting for a spot in the Europa League. Their
mesmerizing passing is what I believe to be the best in the Premier League and
with a little more quality up front they will prove to be far more clinical. Watching
them move the ball around is certainly easy on the eye, prompting their
nickname, “Swans-alona” derived from a comparison to Barcelona. Wherever Swansea
City go from here, their present status will always be an extraordinary accomplishment
for club a that was sold twice in the space of a few months in 2001 for one pound
each time.