Michael Duff: New boss believes he can reach Premier League with Swansea City
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Michael Duff: Ambitious new boss happy to enforce Swansea City 'brand'
Michael Duff has a "quiet determination" to manage in the Premier League and believes he can make it to the top flight at Swansea City.
Duff played at every level from the eighth tier to the Championship before reaching the Premier League at 31.
Having worked in youth football and then managed in League Two and League One, Duff hopes to complete a similar rise as a coach.
"I have got a good feeling," Swansea's new head coach said.
"I think it's a good fit. Hopefully we can make it work."
Duff, 45, was unveiled at the Swansea.com Stadium alongside chairman Andy Coleman on Saturday, having left Barnsley last month to sign a three-year Swansea contract.
The Welsh club turned to Duff after Russell Martin agreed to take over at Southampton, having led Swansea to 10th place in the Championship last season.
As a player, former Northern Ireland international Duff climbed through the divisions with Cheltenham Town before moving to Burnley, where he won promotion to the Premier League three times.
He began his coaching career with Burnley's under-18s before moving up to the under-23s, then landed his first manager's job at Cheltenham in 2018.
Duff led the Robins to the League Two title in 2020-21, then delivered their best ever league finish - 15th in League One - before leaving for Barnsley.
The Tykes had just been relegated from the Championship, but came agonisingly close to an immediate return to the second tier as they were beaten by a goal deep in stoppage time in May's League One play-off final against Sheffield Wednesday.
"Since I was a 17-year-old I got released three or four times for being too small, I had a drive and a fire to get to the top and it took me until I was 31 to get there," Duff said.
"I didn't shout from the rooftops. I just had a quiet determination. It's the same in the new [coaching] career.
"I went away after I retired, [coached] the under-18s, the under-23s, a bit with the first team at Burnley. I went to the bottom of League Two.
"This wasn't the first opportunity I have had to get into the Championship - it's not a case of jumping at the first one.
"I had a good gig where I was and did a lot of work in a short space of time, pulling them from where it was to where I left it.
"But there was something here that I thought there was an opportunity to do something with.
"You look at the foundations that are here, the facilities and the stature of the club, and I just felt I could do something with it and move it forward."
Michael Duff (left) was unveiled at the Swansea.com Stadium alongside new chairman Andy Coleman (right)
Next season Swansea will make a sixth attempt at returning to the Premier League, having been relegated in 2018 after seven seasons at the top level.
Duff declined to predict what his first campaign in charge might bring - but believes promotion during his initial three-year reign is a realistic goal.
"I wouldn't take the job if I didn't think so," he said.
"As a youngish - I think I'm youngish - British-based manager, who hasn't had a stellar playing career, the best way of getting into the Premier League is taking a club with you. That's one of the reasons I am here.
"I am ambitious, but I almost don't like talking about it because I am talking about me.
"I need the players, I need the team, I need the club to do it."
Duff says he has been left with a "good base" by Martin, whose team finished only three points outside the top six last season, though he feels the need to strengthen the squad in some areas is clear.
"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know the strengths and weaknesses within the team," Duff added.
"There are loads and loads of good footballers. I will try to evolve it a bit in terms of adding some physicality and I think some pace needs to be added into it.
"Russ did a good job, played a really attractive brand of football. I just see the game slightly different. I see it a little bit more on the front foot and a little bit more progressive at times.
"That's not a slight on Russell, it's just the way I see the game being played.
"I still want to play good football, still want to entertain the fans, I just want to be a bit more high octane."
Michael Duff's Barnsley finished fourth in League One last season
Josh Ginnelly is poised to become the first signing of the Duff era, with the out-of-contract Hearts forward set for a medical on Monday after agreeing to sign on a free transfer.
"He offers something a little bit different, he runs in behind," Duff said.
"I knew him as a young boy at Burnley. He was 17 when Burnley signed him. It didn't quite work out for him then but, having spoken to him, he's grown up, he's got fire, he's got something to prove at the level."
Duff declined to comment on rumours linking Swansea with Everton striker Ellis Simms.
With the likes of Joel Piroe, Matt Grimes and Nathan Wood being touted as targets for rival clubs, Duff acknowledged that he is anticipating offers to come for some players.
"If you are going to ask me about finances, I am thick as mince so I wouldn't have a clue about accounting or anything like that," he said.
"Am I expecting bids? Probably. If they are the right bids, they will go. If not, they will be here."