Steve Cooper: Swansea City boss brushes off Barnsley manager Ismael's play-off 'pressure' claim
- Published
Steve Cooper has reached the Championship play-offs in each of his first two seasons as a club boss
Steve Cooper has brushed off Valerien Ismael's claim that there is "massive pressure" on Swansea City heading into the Championship play-offs.
Barnsley boss Ismael says Swansea must cope with the weight of expectation in their semi-final meeting having missed out on automatic promotion.
But Cooper believes Swansea, Barnsley and fellow semi-finalists Brentford and Bournemouth start on an equal footing.
"We are all in the mix," Swansea's head coach said.
"It's one phase done in the league and we all start again in the play-offs - four teams and we all start in the same spot.
"It's whoever performs in the two games to start with, one will get through from both ties and then there is another game after that. It's four teams in exactly the same position all vying for the same thing."
Barnsley were 21st in the Championship when Ismael was named head coach in October 2020.
The former Crystal Palace defender has had a huge impact at Oakwell, taking 74 points from his 39 games in the dugout to lead the Tykes to a fifth-place finish.
Barnsley appointed ex-Wolfsburg boss Valerien Ismael as head coach after Gerhard Struber left for New York Red Bulls
Ismael says Swansea's failure to win automatic promotion, having been in top-two contention for much of the campaign, may hinder them in Monday's semi-final first leg in Barnsley and the return at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, 22 May.
"When I came, I recognise three or four teams, I say they have to be in the first two places and Swansea were among those teams," Ismael said.
"They were all the time high in the table. At the end they lost a couple of games in a bad period and they dropped more in the table.
"It's a big team with a brilliant manager and for sure it's massive pressure on Swansea in the play-offs because the play-offs is a new competition and everything can happen."
Nevertheless, Ismael says Barnsley are underdogs against Swansea - even though bookmakers have the Welsh club as fourth favourites to land a place in the Premier League come the play-off final on 29 May.
"Whether we're favourites or fourth favourites, it wouldn't make a difference to me," Cooper said.
"I guess our results, the difficult period came in the latter part of the season so it's probably quite present in people's minds. So maybe it's come from that.
"But it hasn't had any bearing on our preparation or focus."
Swansea were level on points with second-placed Watford after winning at Luton on 13 March, but ended up fourth having won only three of their last 11 regular-season games.
Cooper feels his players deserve credit for reaching 80 points, 10 more than last season and the same total Brendan Rodgers' side reached before winning the Championship play-offs in 2011.
"We had a good go at automatic promotion even though at the end we found it difficult because of what we were up against and some of the strength in depth we haven't got," Cooper added.
"The play-offs give you a second chance of getting promoted. We've got to back ourselves and believe in what we do.
"We have to look at all the good things we have done this season and bring it to the two ties. If we do, we give ourselves a chance."
Swansea's only injury absentee heading into the play-offs is Wales Under-21 defender Brandon Cooper, who picked up an ankle injury in training this week which will keep him out until next season.