Luke Williams: Swansea City boss 'optimistic' despite relegation concerns
- Published
Luke Williams left Notts County to take over at Swansea City on 5 January, 2024
Luke Williams says Swansea City are looking up the table rather than down as they bid to avoid a Championship relegation tussle.
Swansea go to Hull City on Saturday having won just two of their last 10 league games.
Defeat by Plymouth last weekend leaves Swansea five points above the bottom three, but Williams remains upbeat.
"We knew there were going to be some really tough fixtures coming up when I joined," the Swansea head coach said.
"We have struggled to get points in that period, we know that, but we are more optimistic about the future than we are feeling terrified about anything else.
"We have to play consistently well and I am seeing markers that suggest we can be more dominant for longer periods in games.
"My objective is trying to improve the performance and that will give us the platform to go where we need to be."
Williams' side have taken only one point from four league games since he left Notts County to take over at Swansea.
It has been a traumatic campaign for the Welsh club, with Michael Duff failing in what proved to be a short spell as head coach having been appointed as successor to Russell Martin.
Alan Sheehan then had a prolonged spell as interim boss before Swansea turned to Williams, who had to cope with some demanding fixtures as well as a sizeable injury list in his brief reign.
Swansea's struggles prompted former midfielder Andy Robinson to suggest the club are "falling towards a relegation battle" having last played below the second tier in 2007-08.
Another ex-player, Owain Tudur Jones, said Swansea "have to be concerned" as they prepare for successive fixtures against four sides in promotion contention.
Responding to the comments made by Robinson and Jones, Williams said: "They played for the club, they love the club, so they have concerns because they want the club to do well.
"I understand, but certainly we don't have that feeling inside the training camp at all.
"I have just come off the training pitch and it's a group of players who are training with enthusiasm and with desire.
"It's impossible to deny that. They are a good group and they are ready to improve the performance and get the results."
Swansea will again be hindered by injuries when they take on sixth-placed Hull, with Josh Key, Harrison Ashby, Harry Darling, Azeem Abdulai, Sam Parker, Liam Walsh and Jamal Lowe still out.