Swansea City

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Caretaker boss Darren O'Dea has played down the idea of Swansea City's players producing a reaction following the sacking of Alan Sheehan when they face Bristol City on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

O'Dea, who was assistant to Sheehan, will lead Swansea at Ashton Gate after his fellow Irishman was dismissed 10 days ago.

The Swans were thrashed by Ipswich Town in what proved to be Sheehan's final game in charge, with the Welsh club slipping to 18th in the Championship having won only one of their past seven league games.

But when asked whether there could be a reaction to Sheehan's departure this weekend, O'Dea said: "I hope not. I hope the players always are absolutely engrossed and doing their very best for Swansea.

"Of course there will be personal relationships with Alan. I don't think there's ever been a lack of effort from the players. I absolutely would be unequivocal in that, so I don't know about reaction.

"I would like to think they're always absolutely at their maximum and I definitely hope that is the case [on Saturday], which I'm sure it will be."

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O'Dea only discovered in the middle of this week that he would be at the helm for Bristol City, as Swansea failed in their attempts to appoint a new boss before the weekend.

A number of Sheehan's now former players have been away on international duty, meaning there has been little time to prepare to face the Robins.

"Sometimes simplifying things for them can be the way forward," O'Dea said.

"I don't mean that in terms of the way we'll play, but the way I see it is I'll pick a team that puts players in their positions that they're clear on, that they've done before, and we'll play in a way that suits individual players.

"Ultimately then collectively we can perform and hopefully win."

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

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Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

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It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

Swansea will head to Bristol City on Saturday (12:30 GMT) for their first match since sacking boss Alan Sheehan.

Assistant boss Darren O'Dea will take lead of the Swans as they search for a successor who can help them avoid a relegation scrap, while the Robins are winless in three and will be hoping a victory can help lift them back into the top six.

• Bristol City have won one of their last six home league matches against Swansea (D3 L2), a 1-0 win in the 2023-24 season.

• Following a 1-0 win at Ashton Gate last season, Swansea are looking to win consecutive away league matches at Bristol City for the very first time.

• This will be Bristol City manager Gerhard Struber's 50th Championship match as a manager (34 with Barnsley, 15 with the Robins so far). His only previous game against Swansea ended 0-0 in December 2019 as Tykes boss.

• In the Championship in 2025-26, Swansea rank second bottom for shots (159), third bottom for shots on target (49), second bottom for touches in the opposition box (249), bottom for expected goals (12.5) and bottom for big chances (15).

• Bristol City's Scott Twine has six goals in 15 Championship appearances this season, one more than he netted in 36 games last campaign (5). Four of his 11 goals in the last two seasons have been direct free-kicks, the most of any Championship player in that time.

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Marko Stamenic should come into contention for Swansea City's trip to Bristol City on Saturday after returning to action during the international break with New Zealand.

Stamenic has missed Swansea's past four games following the sudden passing of his father Niko.

Stamenic returned to Swansea training shortly before the international window, but was not considered for the home defeat to Ipswich Town which spelled the end for Alan Sheehan.

The now departed Swansea boss said a spell with New Zealand would be good for Stamenic, and the midfielder captained his country for the first time as they were beaten 2-0 by Ecuador in a friendly in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Stamenic played 90 minutes in that game, as he did in last Sunday's friendly loss to Colombia in New Jersey.

Stamenic said on social media that wearing the armband for the All Whites was the "proudest moment of my career".

He could now make his first Swansea appearance since 25 October in Saturday's early kick-off at Ashton Gate.

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Wales boss Craig Bellamy has praised "intelligent footballer" Liam Cullen and says he is surprised by some of the criticism the Swansea City attacker attracts.

The 26-year-old from Kilgetty started Tuesday night's 7-1 demolition of North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier in Cardiff, winning his 14th international cap.

While the likes of skipper Harry Wilson, who claimed a hat-trick, Brennan Johnson, David Brooks and Dan James earned the praise for goalscoring performances, Bellamy says it was the likes of Cullen who allowed that quartet to shine.

"The importance of players like Culls... I don't know, I keep hearing some nonsense about him that maybe he shouldn't be playing, and honestly I get really surprised by that because he's such an intelligent footballer," Bellamy told S4C.

"He allows them [to play] - Brooksy (David Brooks), and we've seen the importance of Harry, the creativity and to get a hat-trick as well as be captain, Brennan was outstanding, DJ (Dan James).

"But I thought we set it up well for them, and that's what good players are able to do, takes those chances, and [against North Macedonia] it was just that day."

Bellamy added: "Three 10s, just pulling them [out of position] and then just hitting runners, [and] the connection they were able to have with each other."

Cullen scored 14 goals in 55 appearances for club and country last season, although he has only found the net once in 15 games so far this campaign.

That situation has not been helped by Swansea's poor start in the Championship, a situation that saw Alan Sheehan sacked as head coach last week and the club yet to appoint a permanent successor.

Swansea return to league action on Saturday away to Bristol City (12:30 GMT).

Image source, BBC Sport

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It has been six days since Alan Sheehan was sacked as Swansea City head coach.

While the search for Sheehan's successor continues, we asked you whether the club made the right decision to move on from the 39-year-old, and who you would like to see appointed.

Here is what you had to say.

Mark: It was completely correct to let him go. He did amazing stepping in last season to carry us to the end of the season and deserved the job from those results but it seems he lost all momentum and his tactical genius disappeared fast.

Thomas: He shouldn't have been hired, and he shouldn't have been fired. If you sign an inexperienced manager, you have to give them space to learn.

Nigel: The Swans were free diving into relegation type form and results. No improvement on the field promoted unrest and there appeared a need for change.

Roderick: I'll always be grateful to Alan Sheehan for guiding us through last season's stormy waters, but unfortunately he couldn't unlock the full potential of this current group.

Martin: I do feel it is time to bite the bullet a little with reference to a manager and make a statement and go for Brendan Rodgers.

Chris: It is important the right person is in place before Saturday, and no way should the team go backwards with likes of Russell Martin or Brendan Rodgers.

Daniel: We really shouldn't be going for an ex-manager in Brendan Rodgers or Russell Martin as we can't afford them you should always look forward not back.

Alan Sheehan's rein as Swansea City head coach came to an end last week.

The Irishman initially impressed as caretaker boss, signing a three-year contract last April as permanent boss.

He left after only 15 league games of this campaign with Swansea 18th in the Championship table, and the club are now seeking their fifth permanent boss in little more than four years.

Was it the right decision for Sheehan to go, or should he have been given longer to turn around the team's form?

Who would Swans fans like to see take over as boss at the Swansea.com Stadium, with the likes of Kim Hellberg, Russell Martin, Brendan Rodgers, Michael Carrick and Eric Ramsay a few of the names linked with the job?

Have your say here

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Owain Tudur Jones believes Swansea City can "salvage a lot" from their season having made the decision to change head coach after only 15 league games of the campaign.

Swansea are looking for a new boss after Alan Sheehan was sacked on Tuesday with the club 18th in the Championship.

Sheehan was appointed on a three-year deal in April after an impressive spell as Swansea's caretaker boss.

Jones, who questioned the club's approach at the time, says that with the "greatest respect", severing ties with the Irishman this week was the right call.

"You just don't know because you can give him the job and he ends up being one of the best up-and-coming young managers out there and takes the club to another level," Jones told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"It just hasn't quite seemed to work out that way and probably a part of his downfall has been the fact that the club have had bigger investment this last summer than they have for years, since the Premier League years, and that just means the pressure is a little bit higher and the expectation comes a little bit higher.

"Fans can see that this is a better squad than it has been for a few years and it's probably a squad that should be pretty close to those play-off positions.

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

"I think by making the decision now, it's not too late. This Swansea squad, with the right man in charge, the right appointment, still have a chance to salvage a lot this season."

Sheehan departed having won only two of his final 11 league games in charge.

Last weekend's 4-1 home defeat by Ipswich Town leaves Swansea seven points clear of the bottom three and eight adrift of the top six.

Nevertheless, with just short of a third of the league campaign gone, Jones says Swansea can turn their season around.

"It's not a slump to the bottom of the table, far from it, so I don't think it's going to take that much," Jones added.

"But the club's owners obviously have a big decision to make.

"How far along are they? Are they starting from scratch today in looking for a candidate or have they been doing some work behind the scenes for the last couple of weeks to get ahead of it and to hopefully get someone in charge as soon as possible?"

Image source, Rex Features

Alan Sheehan says he will not rush Marko Stamenic back into action having made the mistake of returning to football too soon after the death of his mother.

Stamenic has missed Swansea's past four matches following the passing of his father.

After a spell on compassionate leave, the 23-year-old midfielder returned to Wales last week but was not considered for Swansea's weekend defeat to Ipswich Town.

"It's a case of bringing him back into the environment and looking after him, showing support and speaking to him every day," said Swansea boss Sheehan.

"I will not risk his well-being to play or put him into that position.

"As somebody who's lived that and probably come back too soon, it is not a situation I'm willing to put him in or any other player under us either."

Sheehan's mother Anne died suddenly when he was playing for Bradford City in 2014.

The former left-back missed only one Bradford game - having returned to his native Republic of Ireland for the funeral - before getting back on the pitch.

"My mam passed away after a game and I found out on the coach," Sheehan said.

"I came back very quickly and played. It was a few weeks down the line where I wasn't in the best position.

"I wasn't in the best place at all and I'm not willing to do that to Marko or any other player."

While Swansea are not back in action until they go to Bristol City in 11 days' time, Stamenic could make a playing comeback for New Zealand.

The former Nottingham Forest player has been included in the All Whites squad for friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador in the USA during the international break.

"He'll go away and he's got childhood friends in the New Zealand team," Sheehan said.

"I think it's good for him to be around people that are supportive all the time."

Image source, Rex Features

Former striker Ian Walsh says Alan Sheehan should go back to the formula which worked last season as he look to revive his ailing Swansea City side.

Sheehan's Swansea were thumped 4-1 at home by Ipswich Town on Saturday, their fourth defeat in the past seven Championship games.

The Swans are down to 18th in the table having endured their worst start to a league campaign since relegation from the top flight seven years ago.

Their poor form is in stark contrast to the closing stages of last season, when Sheehan took 24 points from 13 games to lead Swansea to an 11th-placed finish.

Ex-Swansea and Wales player Walsh feels Sheehan must now revert to the approach which worked so well in the spring.

"Go back to basics, go back to when he took over last season," said BBC Sport Wales pundit Walsh.

"He played a little bit more progressive football, higher up the field and less mistakes at the back, and got results.

"All of a sudden this season I have seen him play four at the back and since Manchester City he has played three at the back.

"Why change it? What is the strategy? What is the thinking behind going to three at the back?"

Walsh says the manner of Swansea's miserable first-half performance display against Ipswich will prompt questions about Sheehan's job security, though he feels the Irishman should be given more time.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

"Those first 45 minutes possibly have cost him his job," Walsh added.

"I am not one to advocate for managers [losing their jobs]. I just hope he gets the chance to go back to basics, what he was doing last season, and then get on from there."

Walsh believes Sheehan must find a way of getting more forward-thinking players into his team when Swansea return to action after the international break at Bristol City on 22 November.

"The line-up [on Saturday], there was [Zan] Vipotnik and [Zeidane] Inoussa who were the only real players who could you get forward, could get you into advanced roles," he said.

"It was just frustrating to see quite a negative line-up to start with and then the formation was totally wrong. It was 45 minutes completely wasted.

"A bit better in the second half, got back into it, but individually Ipswich were much better. They went on and flourished."