Post by QPR Report on Feb 16, 2010 13:15:00 GMT
Way to go, you schmucks!
Guardian/Louise Taylor
Paulo Sousa brings a touch of his Mourinho swagger to Swansea
Paulo Sousa has made Swansea the Championship's most stylish side – but they need to find the net more often
Thought for the week Swansea City's Paulo Sousa is the Championship's most glamorous, innovative and interesting manager and, move over Mourinho, the former Portugal midfielder is possibly among the most conceited too. Jose is a good friend of his compatriot but he is not the only 'Special One' in their relationship. Instead Swansea's manager recently declared: "I feel very, very special."
Happily people who know this member of Portugal's 'Golden Generation' say Sousa is anything but a pain and that confidence should not always be mistaken for arrogance. They maintain Sousa is an absolutely charming man whose Swansea side are playing the best football in the division.
He has certainly done plenty right since succeeding Roberto Martínez at a club who look a good bet to reach the playoffs. On Saturday Swansea were unlucky to be held to a draw by Newcastle United thanks to a late headed equaliser from Andy Carroll.
That goal was only the ninth to be conceded by Sousa's side at home all season. "Swansea play a system different to anyone else in this division," Chris Hughton, Newcastle's manager, said. "It gives them a lot of possession; you need to be brave playing against them."
"We were much better than Newcastle in everything and we deserved to win by miles," said Sousa, once again exhibiting his hallmark modesty. "We were tactically and technically perfect."
Not quite, Paulo. The downside to a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation, which gives Swansea wonderful control of midfield, is that they tend to pass the opposition to death while failing to turn possession into goals. Sousa's side may be refreshingly comfortable on the ball – their centre-half Ashley Williams has a lovely delicacy of touch – but they have scored only 27 in their last 30 games and registered 14 in 17 home fixtures.
At best Swansea's games can prove an aesthetic joy; at worst, watching Sousa's team turn football into tactical chess can be strangely reminiscent of a dull, woefully low tempo, Champions League group game. But then Sousa himself is a man of paradoxes. Surprisingly the former Juventus and Internazionale midfielder hails a Swede as his biggest inspiration – Sven-Goran Eriksson, the then Benfica coach who converted him from a more attacking force into that stellar defensive midfielder who would be capped more than 50 times.
"Sven was very important to me, he invested in me, in my position, in my playing, he gave me a lot of motivation," said Sousa who, among others, also played for Marcello Lippi. "What he gave me most of all was to recognise in myself that I can do everything that I want to do. He talked to me, sometimes for hours, one on one."
At 39, Sousa has plenty of time for managerial self-improvement and after a turbulent stint at Queens Park Rangers, is really blossoming in south Wales. "The Championship is the fifth biggest league in the world," said the man coveted by Burnley before Brian Laws eventually replaced Owen Coyle. "After what happened at QPR it might have been easy to go home but it made me even more determined."
Happily, he seems to have found the right chairman in Swansea's Huw Jenkins. "I work for the club but really I work for the players," said Sousa. "If I can develop them, the team will develop too. I invest time in them, just like Sven and also Lippi once invested in me. I'm lucky here that I'm given the chance to do it my way."
So far it is working out very nicely. "Swansea just pass you off the park," admitted the Newcastle striker Leon Best. "Swansea is a tough place to come because they've got good players who keep the ball and work you. They make you tired chasing the ball. We want to win the league but you've got to look at a point at Swansea as a good result."
It is not impossible that Sousa's Swansea could be hosting Newcastle again next season – this time in the Premier League.
Goals of the weekendDavid Cotterill for Swansea City in the 1‑1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.
Darren Ambrose's 36-yard free kick for Crystal Palace in the 2-2 FA Cup draw against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Ones to watchMyles Weston, Brentford
Andy Scott, the Brentford manager, describes Weston as the "best left-wing in League One", adding: "He can terrorise any full-back, he just has to believe it." The fleet-footed Weston's end-product is not confined to crosses either. The 21-year-old, signed from Notts County last summer, has now scored 10 goals in 22 starts, the latest coming in Saturday's 1‑1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers.
Graeme Dorrans, West Bromwich Albion
The midfielder, just 23, is arguably the Championship's player of the season so far. Signed from Livingston by the former Albion manager Tony Mowbray – who knows a genuine creator when he sees one – in December 2008 for £100,000, Dorrans has scored 12 this season and is being tracked by, among others, Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Darren Ambrose, Crystal Palace
The attacking midfielder is belatedly reminding everyone just why Sir Bobby Robson once signed him from Ipswich Town and made him a Premier League winger. Neil Warnock must be relieved that, at the end of January, the club's administrator did not realise quite how good Ambrose was.
Games to look forward toChampionship
Nottingham Forest v Celtic Lite (sorry Middlesbrough) Billy Davies v Gordon Strachan. With two such irascible, chippy, short-tempered Scots in adjacent technical areas the fourth official may have his work cut out.
Derby County v Swansea City
Will Nigel Clough's mini-renaissance withstand the visit of Paulo Sousa's enterprising Swans?
League One
Leeds United v Brighton & Hove Albion
During his days as Dennis Wise's assistant at Elland Road, Gus Poyet was hailed as playing a big part in reviving Leeds. Now Brighton's manager aims to do undo them.
Norwich City v Southampton Intriguing.
www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/feb/16/swansea-championship
Guardian/Louise Taylor
Paulo Sousa brings a touch of his Mourinho swagger to Swansea
Paulo Sousa has made Swansea the Championship's most stylish side – but they need to find the net more often
Thought for the week Swansea City's Paulo Sousa is the Championship's most glamorous, innovative and interesting manager and, move over Mourinho, the former Portugal midfielder is possibly among the most conceited too. Jose is a good friend of his compatriot but he is not the only 'Special One' in their relationship. Instead Swansea's manager recently declared: "I feel very, very special."
Happily people who know this member of Portugal's 'Golden Generation' say Sousa is anything but a pain and that confidence should not always be mistaken for arrogance. They maintain Sousa is an absolutely charming man whose Swansea side are playing the best football in the division.
He has certainly done plenty right since succeeding Roberto Martínez at a club who look a good bet to reach the playoffs. On Saturday Swansea were unlucky to be held to a draw by Newcastle United thanks to a late headed equaliser from Andy Carroll.
That goal was only the ninth to be conceded by Sousa's side at home all season. "Swansea play a system different to anyone else in this division," Chris Hughton, Newcastle's manager, said. "It gives them a lot of possession; you need to be brave playing against them."
"We were much better than Newcastle in everything and we deserved to win by miles," said Sousa, once again exhibiting his hallmark modesty. "We were tactically and technically perfect."
Not quite, Paulo. The downside to a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation, which gives Swansea wonderful control of midfield, is that they tend to pass the opposition to death while failing to turn possession into goals. Sousa's side may be refreshingly comfortable on the ball – their centre-half Ashley Williams has a lovely delicacy of touch – but they have scored only 27 in their last 30 games and registered 14 in 17 home fixtures.
At best Swansea's games can prove an aesthetic joy; at worst, watching Sousa's team turn football into tactical chess can be strangely reminiscent of a dull, woefully low tempo, Champions League group game. But then Sousa himself is a man of paradoxes. Surprisingly the former Juventus and Internazionale midfielder hails a Swede as his biggest inspiration – Sven-Goran Eriksson, the then Benfica coach who converted him from a more attacking force into that stellar defensive midfielder who would be capped more than 50 times.
"Sven was very important to me, he invested in me, in my position, in my playing, he gave me a lot of motivation," said Sousa who, among others, also played for Marcello Lippi. "What he gave me most of all was to recognise in myself that I can do everything that I want to do. He talked to me, sometimes for hours, one on one."
At 39, Sousa has plenty of time for managerial self-improvement and after a turbulent stint at Queens Park Rangers, is really blossoming in south Wales. "The Championship is the fifth biggest league in the world," said the man coveted by Burnley before Brian Laws eventually replaced Owen Coyle. "After what happened at QPR it might have been easy to go home but it made me even more determined."
Happily, he seems to have found the right chairman in Swansea's Huw Jenkins. "I work for the club but really I work for the players," said Sousa. "If I can develop them, the team will develop too. I invest time in them, just like Sven and also Lippi once invested in me. I'm lucky here that I'm given the chance to do it my way."
So far it is working out very nicely. "Swansea just pass you off the park," admitted the Newcastle striker Leon Best. "Swansea is a tough place to come because they've got good players who keep the ball and work you. They make you tired chasing the ball. We want to win the league but you've got to look at a point at Swansea as a good result."
It is not impossible that Sousa's Swansea could be hosting Newcastle again next season – this time in the Premier League.
Goals of the weekendDavid Cotterill for Swansea City in the 1‑1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.
Darren Ambrose's 36-yard free kick for Crystal Palace in the 2-2 FA Cup draw against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Ones to watchMyles Weston, Brentford
Andy Scott, the Brentford manager, describes Weston as the "best left-wing in League One", adding: "He can terrorise any full-back, he just has to believe it." The fleet-footed Weston's end-product is not confined to crosses either. The 21-year-old, signed from Notts County last summer, has now scored 10 goals in 22 starts, the latest coming in Saturday's 1‑1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers.
Graeme Dorrans, West Bromwich Albion
The midfielder, just 23, is arguably the Championship's player of the season so far. Signed from Livingston by the former Albion manager Tony Mowbray – who knows a genuine creator when he sees one – in December 2008 for £100,000, Dorrans has scored 12 this season and is being tracked by, among others, Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Darren Ambrose, Crystal Palace
The attacking midfielder is belatedly reminding everyone just why Sir Bobby Robson once signed him from Ipswich Town and made him a Premier League winger. Neil Warnock must be relieved that, at the end of January, the club's administrator did not realise quite how good Ambrose was.
Games to look forward toChampionship
Nottingham Forest v Celtic Lite (sorry Middlesbrough) Billy Davies v Gordon Strachan. With two such irascible, chippy, short-tempered Scots in adjacent technical areas the fourth official may have his work cut out.
Derby County v Swansea City
Will Nigel Clough's mini-renaissance withstand the visit of Paulo Sousa's enterprising Swans?
League One
Leeds United v Brighton & Hove Albion
During his days as Dennis Wise's assistant at Elland Road, Gus Poyet was hailed as playing a big part in reviving Leeds. Now Brighton's manager aims to do undo them.
Norwich City v Southampton Intriguing.
www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/feb/16/swansea-championship
