Post by QPR Report on Nov 3, 2009 10:53:46 GMT
Many won't care at how Sousa does while a few may even be very disappointed 
Obviously early days either way. But Sousa has probably given himself some time/leeway to develop. Even as some not-in-the-know were predicting his rapid demise.
There's also no "Statute of Limitations' regarding claims made! Some claims remain to be verified or apologized for
This is South Wales
New boss's rising star gives him the edge on Martinez
Tuesday, November 03, 2009,
SWANSEA City are better off under Paulo Sousa than they were under Roberto Martinez.
At least that is what the league table says for the first time after last weekend's classy triumph at Sc**thorpe United.
Sousa took a gentle swipe at his critics a couple of weeks back after Swansea chalked up their result of the season so far, the 1-0 success at West Bromwich Albion.
And if he wanted to, the Portuguese might have another little dig now.
More likely is that he will allow the Championship table to speak for him and, while Swansea's improvement on last season is minimal, it is an improvement nevertheless.
After 15 games of 2008-09, Martinez's Swansea had 21 points on the board.
After success at Glanford Park in game No. 15 of this campaign, Sousa's team have 22.
"I am very happy," the Swansea manager said over the weekend.
No wonder, really.
Frustrating
Sousa's start to life at the Liberty was difficult, with hurdles popping up which Swansea could not clear. After a frustrating draw at Barnsley left them with only seven points from the first 24 on offer, Sousa was under some pressure.
But Swansea have taken a further 15 points from the seven games since to send a star that had been on the decline in the opposite direction.
For all the questions that were being asked of the former Queens Park Rangers boss in the opening weeks of the season, it now appears that with Swansea's most influential players available, he can set up a side to succeed in the Championship.
Swansea were a club with their chins on the floor following a summer exodus to Wigan Athletic, and it showed in the opening weeks of the season.
The downbeat mood, combined with a pile of injuries, made things tricky for Sousa.
Struggled
But then any manager would probably have struggled when forced to pitch the likes of Kerry Morgan, Chad Bond and Casey Thomas into Championship action at almost the same time.
When Swansea were two down at home to Middlesbrough in August, Thomas and Jazz Richards were summoned from the bench along with Gorka Pintado and asked to turn things around against opponents fresh from the Premier League.
Good luck.
Swansea went on to lose the game 3-0, with David Cornell, Fede Bessone, Marcos Painter and Bond the unused substitutes.
Yet at Sc**thorpe, Sousa was able to send on Pintado, Tom Butler and the improving Jordi Lopez while the likes of Nathan Dyer and Lee Trundle kept tracksuits on.
Others, like Andrea Orlandi and Stephen Dobbie, did not even make the Swansea 18 at Glanford Park. Now Sousa has genuine options, and his team are on the rise.
The emergence of Craig Beattie as a regular goalscorer — albeit only over the space of four games so far — has also been crucial to Swansea's upturn, because a shortage of firepower remains a concern.
Can Beattie keep on scoring throughout a season? And if not, can one of his colleagues step up to the plate?
The answers to such questions will dictate how far Swansea can go this term, but their efforts in recent times at least suggest that the talk of a relegation battle which was doing the rounds in late summer was premature.
Sousa has moulded a team who consistently perform with the right "will", as their boss likes to call it.
Rarely if ever in the first third of the campaign has Swansea's commitment been questioned, and the desire to do well goes some way to explaining their exceptional defensive record.
Sousa keeps talking about his winning mentality, and it is a lot easier to triumph if you do not concede any goals.
With 31 strikes already, Cardiff are the second tier's highest scorers so far this season.
But if Swansea can clock up yet another clean sheet — and you wouldn't be surprised — just one home goal will be enough to settle next weekend's derby.
And if Sousa succeeds on Saturday, his star will climb again.
www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport/New-boss-s-rising-star-gives-edge-Martinez/article-1475513-detail/article.html
Obviously early days either way. But Sousa has probably given himself some time/leeway to develop. Even as some not-in-the-know were predicting his rapid demise.There's also no "Statute of Limitations' regarding claims made! Some claims remain to be verified or apologized for
This is South Wales
New boss's rising star gives him the edge on Martinez
Tuesday, November 03, 2009,
SWANSEA City are better off under Paulo Sousa than they were under Roberto Martinez.
At least that is what the league table says for the first time after last weekend's classy triumph at Sc**thorpe United.
Sousa took a gentle swipe at his critics a couple of weeks back after Swansea chalked up their result of the season so far, the 1-0 success at West Bromwich Albion.
And if he wanted to, the Portuguese might have another little dig now.
More likely is that he will allow the Championship table to speak for him and, while Swansea's improvement on last season is minimal, it is an improvement nevertheless.
After 15 games of 2008-09, Martinez's Swansea had 21 points on the board.
After success at Glanford Park in game No. 15 of this campaign, Sousa's team have 22.
"I am very happy," the Swansea manager said over the weekend.
No wonder, really.
Frustrating
Sousa's start to life at the Liberty was difficult, with hurdles popping up which Swansea could not clear. After a frustrating draw at Barnsley left them with only seven points from the first 24 on offer, Sousa was under some pressure.
But Swansea have taken a further 15 points from the seven games since to send a star that had been on the decline in the opposite direction.
For all the questions that were being asked of the former Queens Park Rangers boss in the opening weeks of the season, it now appears that with Swansea's most influential players available, he can set up a side to succeed in the Championship.
Swansea were a club with their chins on the floor following a summer exodus to Wigan Athletic, and it showed in the opening weeks of the season.
The downbeat mood, combined with a pile of injuries, made things tricky for Sousa.
Struggled
But then any manager would probably have struggled when forced to pitch the likes of Kerry Morgan, Chad Bond and Casey Thomas into Championship action at almost the same time.
When Swansea were two down at home to Middlesbrough in August, Thomas and Jazz Richards were summoned from the bench along with Gorka Pintado and asked to turn things around against opponents fresh from the Premier League.
Good luck.
Swansea went on to lose the game 3-0, with David Cornell, Fede Bessone, Marcos Painter and Bond the unused substitutes.
Yet at Sc**thorpe, Sousa was able to send on Pintado, Tom Butler and the improving Jordi Lopez while the likes of Nathan Dyer and Lee Trundle kept tracksuits on.
Others, like Andrea Orlandi and Stephen Dobbie, did not even make the Swansea 18 at Glanford Park. Now Sousa has genuine options, and his team are on the rise.
The emergence of Craig Beattie as a regular goalscorer — albeit only over the space of four games so far — has also been crucial to Swansea's upturn, because a shortage of firepower remains a concern.
Can Beattie keep on scoring throughout a season? And if not, can one of his colleagues step up to the plate?
The answers to such questions will dictate how far Swansea can go this term, but their efforts in recent times at least suggest that the talk of a relegation battle which was doing the rounds in late summer was premature.
Sousa has moulded a team who consistently perform with the right "will", as their boss likes to call it.
Rarely if ever in the first third of the campaign has Swansea's commitment been questioned, and the desire to do well goes some way to explaining their exceptional defensive record.
Sousa keeps talking about his winning mentality, and it is a lot easier to triumph if you do not concede any goals.
With 31 strikes already, Cardiff are the second tier's highest scorers so far this season.
But if Swansea can clock up yet another clean sheet — and you wouldn't be surprised — just one home goal will be enough to settle next weekend's derby.
And if Sousa succeeds on Saturday, his star will climb again.
www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport/New-boss-s-rising-star-gives-edge-Martinez/article-1475513-detail/article.html
