Swansea players and staff 'must look in mirror'

Alan Sheehan joined Swansea in the summer of 2023 having previously coached at Luton and Southampton

Alan Sheehan says Swansea City's players and staff must "look in the mirror" as they attempt to respond following the departure of Luke Williams.

Sheehan has taken over as caretaker head coach after Williams' 13-month Swansea reign came to an end on Monday.

Williams and coaches Ryan Harley and George Lawtey departed after a run of seven defeats in nine games which has left Swansea glancing nervously towards the Championship relegation zone with 13 fixtures remaining this season.

Sheehan, who was also part of Williams' coaching staff, leads Swansea against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday after what he called "an incredibly difficult week for everyone associated" with the club.

"Three people have lost their job - Luke, Ryan and George – and I've had conversations with them since," Sheehan said.

"I think the overriding feeling for me and everybody else is that we've all failed.

"It's about picking us up now really. We've had a good training week - the players' application has been wonderful. It's about picking their spirits up and getting the team ready for Saturday."

Defeat at struggling Stoke City last Saturday spelled the end for Williams, who had made positive strides since taking charge at Swansea in January 2024.

Having led the club away from relegation danger last season, the former Notts County boss was hoping to make further progress while developing an inexperienced squad in this campaign.

All was going to plan as recently as late December, when Swansea were only four points outside the play-off places in ninth.

But their form has collapsed since the turn of the year, leading the club's hierarchy to decide that a managerial change was needed.

"It's very difficult because Luke was a wonderful coach and liked by the players and liked by all of us," Sheehan said.

"There's been no celebration or anything.

"We are in this position now and we have to get out of it, it's very simple, and we know we are the only ones who can put it right.

"We all have to look in the mirror and have that self-reflection and put it right."

Sheehan is in his second spell as Swansea's caretaker boss, having led the club for seven games last season – and banked 11 points – before Williams was appointed as Michael Duff's long-term successor.

Swansea have indicated that new director of football Richard Montague is leading the search for Williams' permanent replacement.

For the moment, Sheehan says, he has only been asked to take charge against Blackburn, but it could be that he is still at the helm when Swansea next play at Preston North End on 4 March.

While Sheehan acknowledged that his long-term goal is to become a manager, he played down the suggestion that Williams' exit meant an opportunity to prove his credentials.

Alan Sheehan (left), Kristian O'Leary (right) and goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson will lead Swansea this weekend following the departure of Luke Williams (centre)

"My job was to make Luke successful, so ultimately I failed on that," the former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international said.

"So again it's about self-reflection first of all, but now trying to get a positive impact out of the players for one game. That's where I'm at."

Sheehan joined Swansea's staff around the same time that Duff took charge in the summer of 2023, having worked with then sporting director Paul Watson at Luton.

He says he has had opportunities since then to become a head coach elsewhere, but stayed in Wales because Swansea felt like "the right club" to be working for.

"My family live here. We have been here over a year and a half and are incredibly happy here," Sheehan added.

"Hopefully we can find a way to make this club successful and that's all I am focusing on."