'I don't want to be a nearly team' - Sheehan

Alan Sheehan's team had been unbeaten in their past eight home league games before losing to Leicester

Alan Sheehan says he does not want Swansea City to be a "nearly team" and has told his players to believe they can compete with any side in the Championship.

Swansea were beaten at home for the first time this season by Leicester City on Saturday.

After falling behind to a spectacular early goal from Jordan James, Swansea stayed in the contest and eventually levelled thanks to Adam Idah's second-half penalty.

But any hope of a late push for a home win was wiped out as Adbul Fatawu's sparkling finish restored Leicester's lead before Jannik Vestergaard headed in to seal the Foxes' 3-1 success.

Sheehan reckons Leicester will be in contention for an immediate return to the Premier League this season following last year's relegation from the top flight.

But the Swansea boss insisted his side have the quality to trouble the Championship's leading sides.

"I want us to have the belief that we can go toe to toe with everybody in the division," he said.

"That's got to be our mentality to keep progressing as a football club.

"I think this season, teams who have come here, we have gone after them. Today we have gone after Leicester and two moments of quality [from them]… we have to keep competing and be the best we can be.

"The next thing is can we have a bit more quality in the final third and be more of a killer team."

Leicester became only the second team to beat Swansea on their own patch - after Burnley in March – since Sheehan took charge in February.

Defeat means the Swans slip to 11th in the second tier going into the season's second international break.

While Sheehan acknowledged Leicester's quality, he was left frustrated by Swansea's failure to take any points.

"I don't want be a nearly team, I really don't," he added.

"I know they have come down from the Premier League. I know most of their players have been in the Premier League and played there and have aspirations of going back there - and I'm sure they have got a massive chance with the squad alone.

"But when they come to our stadium, like every game, we want to be competitive.

"Ultimately there are large amounts of that game I feel quite positive about and it's hard to be critical of the players because application, desire, togetherness, the fans getting behind us for large amounts of the game [were all there].

"But it's just maybe that small bit of quality that they showed when they bend two into the top corner."