Michael Duff: Under pressure Swansea City head coach determined to 'prove people wrong'
- Published
Michael Duff led Barnsley to the League One play-off final last season, where they were beaten by Sheffield Wednesday
Swansea City head coach Michael Duff is confident he can once again "prove people wrong" and insists he is not motivated by a fear of losing his job.
Swansea are in the Championship's bottom three having failed to win in seven league games under Duff.
But he retains belief that his approach will soon deliver results going into Saturday's visit of fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.
"There is pressure on every game," Duff said.
"We need a win. The players need a win. I want to win more than anyone.
"I have been given a massive responsibility at this football club and I want to leave it in a better place than I found it.
"At the minute we are nowhere near where we want to get to. But you can't stick the cherry on top before building the foundations."
Swansea came close to grinding out a first league triumph of the season at Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday only to be denied by a stoppage-time Lyndon Dykes equaliser.
The QPR draw followed a miserable defeat at Cardiff City, with Swansea's tally of three points from their opening seven games of the season - their longest winless league start in 32 years - prompting heavy criticism of Duff's side and question marks over his future.
"The fear of the sack doesn't drive me," Duff said.
"It isn't easy [not winning games]. I am a human being the same as anyone, I want to win as much as any of the supporters, I can assure you. I have been given a huge responsibility because you are coming to a part of the world where everyone's invested in the football club.
"I have to come to work and look the chef in the eye and the kit men in the eye. But I think they know the work that's been going on.
"I went round to the mother-in-law's after the Cardiff game on the Sunday and she said 'well that wasn't very good was it?'. I said 'no it wasn't' - and she doesn't know that much about football.
"I am not trying to hide or pull the wool over anyone's eyes. I get up in the morning - I left at quarter to five this morning, and that's my choice because I only live a couple of hours away.
"I get up and I know I work hard. Whether people think I am very good or not, they can't say I don't work hard. The staff work hard and the players work hard, so hopefully something will turn."
Ollie Cooper (right) was sent off at Queens Park Rangers in midweek after picking up two late yellow cards
Duff says his resilience and work ethic have been key to the successes he has had both as a player and manager.
The former centre-back played at every level of English football from the eighth tier up before reaching the Premier League with Burnley.
He then cut his coaching teeth in League Two with Cheltenham, leading the Robins to promotion - and then their best league finish in the third tier - before recovering from a slow start to his one season at Barnsley to reach last May's League One play-off final.
"I have always had to prove people wrong," he added. "If that's what I have to do here, that's what I will try to do.
"I was written off at other clubs but I believe in the work I have done and I believe in my mentality. Hopefully if we win a couple of games, it will change for the better."
Duff has faced flak over the style of football his team have produced so far this season.
The vast majority of Swansea's success in the last 16 years has been based on dominating the ball - the so-called Swansea Way - with the club finishing three points outside the play-offs last season under Russell Martin, who was absolutely committed to playing a possession game.
Duff says his "concept" is to play "good, attacking free-flowing football" while being more defensively sound.
"I think supporters want to see blood on the shirt and sweat on the shirt with a bit of excitement," he added.
"Have we got to that point yet? No. But it takes time. It's about creating good habits, non-negotiables, then getting to the Swansea Way part of it.
"I don't want bluff football, I want attacking football. I would rather have 60% of the ball and win than 80% and don't win."
Swansea will be without the suspended Ollie Cooper and injured Joe Allen, Liam Walsh and Kyle Naughton against Sheffield Wednesday, while they are monitoring the fitness of Josh Key and Liam Cullen.
Duff says he has spoken to the club's hierarchy this week but does not "ask for reassurances" about his position.