' Swansea City problems? / Transfers? '

Huw Jenkins resigned as Swansea chairman due to recruitment issues

Sy Sports

Wednesday 6th February 2019


Growing friction between the Swansea City chairman, Huw Jenkins, and the club's American owners - particularly over the issue of recruitment - was at the heart of Jenkins' decision to resign after 17 years at the club, Sky Sports News understands.

Jenkins resigned on Saturday night, following a reign which saw Swansea rise from the bottom of the Football League in 2003 to the Premier League eight years later.

The 55-year-old had ultimate control over recruitment and player contracts at the Liberty Stadium, but Swansea's board had lost faith in his judgement and decision-making, according to Sky sources.

A key factor was winger Daniel James' failed move to Leeds United on Deadline Day. James underwent a medical at Elland Road, only for Swansea to pull out of the deal at the final moment.

Swansea pulled out of a deal to sell Daniel James to Leeds on Deadline Day

The Swans' hierarchy were also dismayed by Jenkins' decision to sign Andre Ayew for £18m last January, and the call to re-sign Wilfried Bony for a second fee of £12m - the two forwards made just 19 Premier League starts between them after their moves.

Wilfried Bony scored one Championship goal for Swansea before joining Al-Arabi on loan in January

After Jenkins' departure, the club says it is now determined to modernise its structure, and wants to appoint a new director of football within weeks.





Swansea have no immediate plans to look for, or appoint, a new chairman.





Biggest signings since January 2015

Andre Ayew from West Ham £18m
Sam Clucas from Hull £16.5m
Borja Baston from Atletico Madrid £15.5m
Wilfried Bony from Vitesse/Man City £12m
Biggest sales since January 2015

Gyfli Sigurdsson to Everton £45m
Wilfried Bony to Man City £25m
Andre Ayew to West Ham £20.5m
Alfie Mawson to Fulham £15m





Total transfer spend since 2015: £132.4m

Total transfer earnings since: £193.4m

Total transfer profit since 2015: £61m

There has so far been no comment from Jenkins, beyond his initial statement from Saturday, when he said his role at the club had been gradually eroded, to a point where he could not accept it any more.

Swansea's American owners now want an experienced football director to act as a link between manager Graham Potter and the board, and they want the new person in place as soon as possible to begin planning for the summer transfer window. The Swansea Supporters' Trust will be involved in the selection process.

Potter will still play a crucial role in identifying and selecting talent going forward, SSN has been told

It has been reiterated to Sky Sports News that Potter will still play a crucial role in identifying and selecting talent going forward, and he will retain total control over the technical aspects of coaching and style of play.

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As the song goes you reap what you SOW

I honestly think they're in a world of shit and its going to be very rough for them for some time

I personally think Jenkins did a really good job at the club! The owners are a bit critical of some of his recruits but to make a 61m profit in the transfer market over the last 3 years is what most teams would dream of. Just goes to show how the American owners are fleecing a club that previously had no debt and huge assets. Never mind, won't lose any sleep over them. Won't be long before Newport are above them!

I personally think Jenkins did a really good job at the club! The owners are a bit critical of some of his recruits but to make a 61m profit in the transfer market over the last 3 years is what most teams would dream of. Just goes to show how the American owners are fleecing a club that previously had no debt and huge assets. Never mind, won't lose any sleep over them. Won't be long before Newport are above them!

You're not wrong, to be fair and much credit should go to Huw ap Jenkins for what he achieved for such a small town club!

However, reading parts of the OP regarding recent transfer decisions does raise a few questions on his later judgements

They're in desperate need of cash and quick. Astonishing really given the money that flowed in to their coffers in recent years. They've been living on a transfer surplus and now that's all but dried up. Little significant value in what's left and a very strong likelihood they'll have the Ayew's back on the pay roll in a few months, both of whom have failed to impress on loan.

Any remaining transfer income from the past well and truly offset by the balances still owed for Andre Ayew and Bony. They'll be sweating every day until the next instalment of parachute payment but that could be 6 months away. Its bleak at the moment and the next significant cash income is someway off.

The Americans will have to put more money in or they run the risk of not having cash to pay the bills. If they don't they could go the way of Portsmouth before the end of this season.

Such a sad decline for the biggest football club in Swansea

I personally think Jenkins did a really good job at the club! The owners are a bit critical of some of his recruits but to make a 61m profit in the transfer market over the last 3 years is what most teams would dream of. Just goes to show how the American owners are fleecing a club that previously had no debt and huge assets. Never mind, won't lose any sleep over them. Won't be long before Newport are above them!

assume the 61 million profit is based on transfer fees only.
the club certainly did not make a 61 million pound profit as it was swallowed up by insane wages and signing on fees { eg 8 mill signing on fee for Gommis }.

if you read what huw said regarding selling, he says, they got to a point where to continue , they HAD to sell a player to keep the wolves from the door ,it was Shelvey , then went on to say that meeting then moved forward to finding new investors/owners as none of the board at the time had the sort of financial backing to dig them out in the future, even temporarily..

They're in desperate need of cash and quick. Astonishing really given the money that flowed in to their coffers in recent years. They've been living on a transfer surplus and now that's all but dried up. Little significant value in what's left and a very strong likelihood they'll have the Ayew's back on the pay roll in a few months, both of whom have failed to impress on loan.

Any remaining transfer income from the past well and truly offset by the balances still owed for Andre Ayew and Bony. They'll be sweating every day until the next instalment of parachute payment but that could be 6 months away. Its bleak at the moment and the next significant cash income is someway off.

The Americans will have to put more money in or they run the risk of not having cash to pay the bills. If they don't they could go the way of Portsmouth before the end of this season.

I don't think City supporters will be holding another 'Boxing Day Bucket Collection' outside our stadium like we did for their last crisis when they were wound up by a court order in December 1985

Will probably go the way of Charlton in thinking they were a bigger club than they really were.
Huw did a brilliant job

Well remember they would run out of town any owners who did not look after the club:-)

I think they should set up a Supporters Trust, to make sure that the club is run properly.

I think they should set up a Supporters Trust, to make sure that the club is run properly.

They got one and it's got about 15% share of club! Can see yanks selling it to them eventually after stripped all the financial assets from club

I was being facetious Al..it’s all we’ve heard from those chimps in the last ten years..

I was being facetious Al..it’s all we’ve heard from those chimps in the last ten years..

Ahhh I see yes harped on about being a fans club owned by them but turns out that they are just puppets dangling at end of the yanks strings!

now that they've gone down, to plug the gap the owners have started asset stripping. this leads to a vicious circle.

in football, they are about to find out that although spending is not a guarantee of success, not investing is almost always a guarantee of failure.

they bought the club to make money, without understanding football, and that's fine as long as you know that yourself. they chose the club they bought badly, because it does not have the potential to grow. it is in an economically depressed area, with no brand, and weak support.

the sad thing for them was that prior to their arrival, things were actually going relatively well. they stumbled on a formula that works, but they thought they knew better. diddums.

I think they should set up a Supporters Trust, to make sure that the club is run properly.

Jenkins had three or four quality managers in a row, was that luck? Think he lost it in the end, trying desperately to hold on to the dream. All of a sudden they started to blow huge amounts in Ayew and bony, wage bill almost doubled in two years etc...
Reckon it’s going to take them years to recover now as I reckon the yanks have taken cash out to cover their investment and pay the hedge fund. The trust have done very little and are now considering taking the yanks to court over the purchase, it’s going to get messy and leave them in league 1 I reckon.

Jenkins had three or four quality managers in a row, was that luck? Think he lost it in the end, trying desperately to hold on to the dream. All of a sudden they started to blow huge amounts in Ayew and bony, wage bill almost doubled in two years etc...
Reckon it’s going to take them years to recover now as I reckon the yanks have taken cash out to cover their investment and pay the hedge fund. The trust have done very little and are now considering taking the yanks to court over the purchase, it’s going to get messy and leave them in league 1 I reckon.

Yes he did have good managers but then they left after 18mnths to 2yrs as did last 6 maybe? Trouble was he liked control of what players came in and out manager had little say in matter if stories are true, and yes think could take years if at all before they be challenging for premier league ! At moment can only only see them staying in championship or at worst dropping down.