Bob Bradley sacked: American boss was often an easy target, but the truth is he just didn’t quite fit into the Premier League
The Welsh side have been in awful form this season and are in danger of being relegated, losing four out of their last five games
In the car park at Swansea’s training ground, like every other Premier League base, sit £200,000 Lamborghinis and Bentleys.
Since October at the club’s Landore training ground, a new VW Polo had appeared alongside them each day.
Bob Bradley rejected the Mercedes offered to him by the club after just a day — Initially handed a company Mercedes by Swansea, Bradley drove it for just a day before insisting he wanted to trade the flash motor for a more down-to-earth vehicle.
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It was a refreshing and commendable decision but simply illustrated the fact he did not fit into the Premier League.
In the Liberty Stadium dugout, the former Le Havre, USA and Egypt coach was a total car crash.
American Bradley, 58, was ridiculed for his terminology, using phrases such as PKs (penalty kicks) and ‘road game’ (an away match) but this was unfair.
Had he been French or Spanish and barely able to not been able to speak barely a word of English, there would have been no criticism. In this respect, he was an easy target.
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But more importantly, he was not actually very good. Unfortunately for Bradley, he was in charge of just 11 Swansea matches, winning only twice.
They conceded three or more goals in eight of those games. He continually chopped and changed his defence, having inherited a shambles.
But the results did not change and whoever replaces him will struggle to keep this lot up.
Bradley lasted just 85 days — 18 more than Sam Allardyce’s ill-fated England reign — and Swansea fans are left with little optimism that their side will beat the drop to extend their , fearing fear their six-year stay in the top flight is coming to an end.
The days of Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers, Michael Laudrup and Garry Monk seem a long time ago. Chairman Huw Jenkins sold the club to Americans and there is a feeling among fans that it has lost its identity after a terrific rise – like Bournemouth – from English football’s fourth tier to the Premier League.
Monk, who is now impressing at Leeds, lost the Swansea dressing room with players feeling he took too much of the credit for their impressive eighth-place finish in 2015.
The Swans were in talks over the return of Brendan Rodgers after sacking Monk. But Jenkins took the cheap option by appointing Italian Francesco Guidolin.
That was a big mistake and the club beat the drop last season largely thanks to two big wins over Arsenal and Norwich.
Maybe it was a coincidence but Guidolin was in hospital with Alan Curtis in caretaker charge for those matches, as he will be again take the reins temporarily against Bournemouth on Saturday’s game with Bournemouth.
In the past, Swansea survived with goals from Michu and Wilfried Bony.
Last season they limped through with strikes from Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew. Now the goals have dried up, while the sale of Ashley Williams to Everton was a disaster.
There had been an eagerness from American majority shareholders Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien to give Bradley more time.
But Monday’s 4-1 home loss to West Ham on Boxing Day was the final straw and the club moved swiftly to get rid of Bradley without a replacement ready.
As for the VW garage in Swansea, there will soon be a Polo for sale with very few miles on the clock.