Sheehan looks to build Swansea 'foundations'

Alan Sheehan is in his second spell as Swansea City's caretaker boss, having been in charge for seven games last season

Alan Sheehan reckons Swansea City must build "foundations" before focusing on style as they look to secure their place in the Championship next season.

Sheehan has banked four points in two games as caretaker boss having helped Swansea register back-to-back clean sheets for the first time in 2024-25.

Sheehan's unbeaten start has eased pressure on a side who were sliding towards the relegation zone after a run of seven defeats in nine league matches which spelled the end for Luke Williams.

But with work still to do to ensure the 16th-placed Swans remain a second-tier club next season, Sheehan's initial goal is consistency.

"You have to measure everything up, understand where we are as a group, what we have in the building, what we have at our disposal and what's the best way to get the best out of the individuals we have and bring it together as a team to attack and defend against the opposition," Sheehan said.

"I do keep saying yes I understand style is incredibly important but for me, before we look into certain things, you have to build character, confidence and resilience.

"Confident players that have character and resilience… then we have foundations to fall back on. This is the Championship, we understand the ups and downs of it and it's about being consistent in these moments."

Swansea produced one of their most impressive attacking displays of the season as they eased to a 3-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers in Sheehan's first game in charge.

They backed that result up with a battling draw at Preston North End in midweek which maintains momentum going into Saturday's home game against Middlesbrough.

Heckingbottom's 'interesting assessment'

Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom suggested afterwards that the "big difference" in Swansea under Sheehan is that they "pass the ball less" while playing with "high energy".

Asked about Heckingbottom's verdict, Sheehan said: "Interesting assessment. I think high energy is what you want to play. You want to have the ball at the right times but understand that there are two goals at either end of the field, so let's not lose sight of what we want to do when we have the ball.

"Whether that takes one pass, five or 20, there are different ways to break down different oppositions."

Sheehan added that he wants his team to have possession but "in the right areas".

"I think it would be quite naïve of me… against a man-to-man press the other day on that kind of pitch, I think it would be adding pressure to the team, where we are at the moment and what we want to do, to try to play out," he said.

"They (Preston) tried to do it once and we nearly scored. They didn't do it much afterwards. I think there are certain games that you play in a different areas and different spaces."

Goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux was a standout performer as Swansea held on for a point at Preston

Swansea are 10 points clear of the relegation places going into a demanding week, with Middlesbrough followed by a trip to Watford on Wednesday, 12 March and a home fixture against Burnley three days later.

Sheehan has been asked to lead Swansea in those three games, with the club due to reassess their managerial situation in the international break which comes after Burnley.

"There has been communication but nothing has really changed," Sheehan said.

"I can only echo what I have said before, if we get to the end of the three games and the ownership want to have a conversation, we will have a conversation.

"I know there are going to be a lot of applicants for this job and I think it's the right process to go and speak to these people.

"If the ownership and everybody feels they are the right people to take the club forward then wonderful, because this club needs to get it right now and we need to start moving forward."