Swansea clinched promotion to the Championship on Saturday thanks to a 2-1 win at Gillingham, and it has been a long time coming.
The Welsh side are comfortably the best team in the league, as proven by their position. They play the best football in the division and are very entertaining to watch.
This boils down to the mentality of manager and fans’ favourite Roberto Martinez (below). The Spaniard was a classy midfielder, someone who had an eye for a pass and threw in the occasional goal. He always tried to play football the right way when he played, and he has made sure that his side do it as well.
When you consider that this is the first season of Martinez’s fledgling managerial career it makes the achievement all the more impressive.
It is only five years since the Welsh side stayed in the Football League on the final day of the season, and the club has gone from strength to strength since then. Under Kenny Jackett the club lost in the League One play-off final to Barnsley in 2006, while last year the club failed to make the top six. Considering the players at their disposal, this was not good enough.
Jackett paid with his job, and Martinez then inherited a team that lost talisman Lee Trundle to Bristol City. The departure of Trundle though can be seen as a catalyst for this season. Without all eyes on one man, Martinez pulled off some superb transfer deals to accompany the quality of existing players like Andy Robinson and Darren Pratley. The Spanish duo of Angel Rangel and Guillem Bauza have been big successes, along with Dutch midfielder Ferrie Bodde, who has looked a class above anyone in the division.
Then there is the bargain of the season; Jason Scotland. The big Trinidadian cost £25,000 from St Johnstone, and there were doubts to whether he could replicate his form from north of the border. But he has done more than that. His 29 goals have shot the Swans to promotion, and I fully expect the club to continue moving upwards.
The club has excellent facilities in place, a wonderful stadium, and a team which is more than good enough to hold its own in the Championship. If Martinez can enhance his already impressive transfer dealings, Swansea can be pushing for the play-offs this time next year. And I would not be surprised if they make a serious promotion challenge within the next three years.
Posted by davebell 