Ex-Southampton centre-back will continue as club captain, with Ash becoming matchday captain
News broke yesterday that Swansea stalwart Garry Monk has handed the armband on to his younger central-defensive counterpart due to his view that the regular matchday skipper should be nailed on to start every week; and by Monk's own admission he's been in and out of the side over the last season or two.
The decision can't have come lightly, and it's an idea which will have been bouncing around inside his head for a while now. As most will know, Monk has been club club captain for almost a decade, but in recent times when he hasn't been selected to play Williams would instead take the armband, but from now on the captain of Wales will also be the permanent matchday captain of the Swans too:
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| Monk, Williams & Dwight Tiendalli challenge for the ball |
"I just feel it's the right time now - it is a difficult decision. It's probably been one of my proudest things - if not the proudest thing - I've had to do with Swansea City. I know we've had promotions and cups, but it's definitely up there to have captained this club for so long. It's been a real honour.“"If the manager thinks I'm wrong then I'll have to listen to the manager won't I? But that's my gut feeling anyway. I'm still going to be club captain but - this is how I personally look at it, I haven't spoken to the manager or Ash himself - I just feel from my experience as captain, that should be the person [Ash].
"The continuity should be there, someone that's been there week in week out, which has been Ashley. Obviously when I've not played he wears the captain's armband; I just feel that should continue even when I am playing. It's a decision from myself, things won't change, apart from the armband.
"Off the pitch I'll be the same, even on the pitch when I'm playing I'll still be a leader and it's just a case of I think Ash deserves to lead the team out week after week. My duties as club captain won't change. I'll still be doing the stuff off the pitch with the boys and in the community representing the club.
"I proved last season and the season before, I haven't played as regularly as I would have liked, but I've still contributed a number of games and when I've played I think I've done pretty well - That's all I can ask of myself, make sure that I'm fit, ready, look after myself and when called upon to do it right. I've done that so far, so I can't have any complaints with myself.
"If I couldn't compete at this level, if I was slacking off and feeling physically not right then I'd hold my hand up, I'm honest enough to do that, but I think I've proved the last couple of seasons in the Premiership that when I've played, I've more than competed with some of the top strikers.
"I probably feel even stronger this pre-season, I feel sharp, I've looked after myself through the summer and I feel fit." Garry Monk
It says something about the man that he's been captain now for about 8 years under five different managers - there aren't many players who could enjoy that kind of longevity, and Monk will go down in history as one of, if not Swansea's most successful captain ever. Despite giving up the matchday armband, it looks like Garry will be hanging around SA1 for some time yet, and boy he's earned the right.