Swansea set to learn Europa League opponenents
The wait will finally be over; the Swans will find out tomorrow who they will face in the Europa League third qualifying stage. As we're seeded (due to being classed as an English team) we could face any number of teams, and a full list is available here: http://mtj86.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/swanseas-european-tour/
“We take every competition seriously – and that includes Europe. We proved that last season by winning the Capital One Cup, progressing well in the FA Cup before being knocked out by Arsenal in a replay, plus a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League.
“We were always competitive and with the players we’ve now got in the current squad then whatever team I pick it will be exactly the same. The players will be competitive.
“There is a lot of competition in the squad and I would have thought that everyone who plays will want to do well and impress. It will be difficult to get into the group stages, but if we can progress then you never know how far we can go.
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t have to travel too far,’ but I know there are a lot of Eastern European countries in there, so we’ll have to wait and see.’’ Michael Laudrup
Exeter wax lyrical about the Swans ahead of friendly clash
Looking forward to our friendly with the Grecians on Sunday, and their chief executive came out with what can only be described as an effusive diatribe - although that was probably to do with the fact that the Swans are allowing Exeter to retain all of the financial proceeds of the matchup. You may recall that Exeter were the team relegated to the Conference at the Swans' expense back in 2003, and that we've come so far since should serve as encouragement to our West Country opponents. After all, three members of our current squad were playing in League Two with us not so long ago, so who's to say in ten years time Exeter won't be strutting their stuff in the Premiership? “We’re hugely grateful to Swansea – not only for agreeing to put on an exhibition here at St James Park, but also for allowing us to use this as a much-needed fundraiser for our football club.
“Thanks to Swansea’s generosity, all Exeter fans that come to the game will not only be treated to a chance to see Swansea’s superstars, but also to help out their own club financially in what we all recognise as challenging times. This shows an understanding and camaraderie between two clubs that had contrasting emotions at the end of that mutually gruelling campaign ten years ago.
“Swansea have been a shining light in the past few seasons in terms of their ability to play the game in an attractive style and they have reaped the rewards by winning matches in that way.
“So this is a real marquee friendly fixture for us, to see such talented individuals and such a brilliant brand of football that Swansea can offer, and a true great of world football in their manager Michael Laudrup.” Exeter Cheif Executive Julian Tagg
Laudrup seemingly rules out move for Franco Di Santo
Well, doing a statty profile of him now seems a bit redundant, eh? Maybe one day the knowledge that his pass completion for 2012/13 was 72.8% will win me a pub quiz somewhere...but that's a stretch. When speaking to the official club site, Laudrup was asked whether there was anything in the rumours linking us with the Argentinian international, but he took the opportunity to distance himself from any kind of approach:
"Everyday I read we are going for this player or that player, a Dutch player and then Ghanaian player. If I signed half of the players we have been linked to I would have 35 players here. I have also spent a certain amount of money, so it won't be a big signing but for me it doesn't matter.
"I think Di Santo is a good player, but I don't think he has the characteristics we are looking for. I am looking for a different kind of player. If it's a big player on loan from a big club.....it's about the quality.
"We need one more, a different kind of striker. We need one with different characteristics to Bony and Michu, but we can wait and we don't have to sign this player today or tomorrow or this week or in two weeks.
"The biggest gap up front is closed now with Bony, but I am very happy with the other signings too. Jonjo (Shelvey) is a very important British signing, coming into midfield and gives us something different."We have competition in the squad and it raises the level." Michael Laudrup
Wakaso Mubarak...the latest new arrival in SA1?
It's been heavily reported today that we've improved our original offer of just shy of £4million, and that we've beaten off several other clubs to secure the signature of a player who definitely fits the bill of "mercurial talent". Personally I'm quite excited by this story, and think he'd add an explosive element to our forward lineup which we definitely had for a while. Despite the pace we possess in the squad, it's all too rare that we see players breaking forward at pace, and Mubarak seems ideally suited to address this.
We'll have to wait and see whether there's anything in this one, but as the story has rolled on and on it seems likely there's at least an element of truth in it - and if so it'll take our summer spending to around the £25million mark. Incredible.
More news tomorrow...