View from a Baggie
The ninth installment in our series of interviews with fans of opposing teams, today's effort sees Dan of West Brom fan site BaggiesFacts answer our questions
Q1. Who are you and what do you do? How did you become attached to your club?
I'm Dan, a big West Bromwich Albion fan. I started Baggies Facts as a stats and facts based Twitter feed around 2 and a half years back and now we're on multiple social networks and have a successful fan website with 5 writers.
I support the Baggies because I had no other option, my mother would probably have beat me had I plumped for that gold and black lot down the road!
Q2. What is your favourite memory of a match involving your team and the Swans?
Although I wasn't there it was probably our 2-0 win at The Liberty Stadium in 2010 on our way to gaining promotion to the Premier League. Dorrans grabbed a penalty and Miller scored late on.
From before my time, and going on stories I've been told, our success over the Swans in the Third Tier Playoffs in the early 90's was apparently one of the best Hawthorns atmospheres of all time.
Q3. Ahead of this season, what are your thoughts on the Swans? Do you think we'll be a better team than last season?
I think you will finish in a similar position to the 12th spot you achieved last season. Swans fans will probably feel that keeping Bony will be massively important but should he leave it won't exactly be panic stations. Sadly Swansea City, much like 13 or 14 other teams in the Premier League are a 'selling' club and many more players will join and leave after him, it's the name of the game nowadays.
Q4. What do you make of our transfer activity thus far? Do you think we need to make any more signings?
Fabianksi is a fantastic signing, and although Vorm has been impressive (more so in his earlier Swans days) your new Pole in goal is the better 'keeper out of the two.
Amongst your other signings I feel Jefferson Montero could well be one to set the league on fire. Your very own Scott once told me that Scott Sinclair would often beat players and score goals for Swansea purely thanks to his pace, he didn't ever do that for the Albion mind! [I'm sure I remember saying it's something he should do more! - Ed] I'm going to predict this man is the real deal when it comes to scoring goals of a similar fashion.
Q5. Have you visited the Liberty Staidum before? If so, what did you think? Are you planning on visiting this year?
I haven't had the pleasure. I attend plenty of Albion away games but I've not managed to get down to The Liberty just yet!
Q6. If you had to pick, who would be your favourite Swansea player? And your least favourite?
My favourite player would probably be your captain, Ashley Williams. He was on youth terms at the Albion before we released him, one of those that clearly we should have kept hold of. On his day there aren't many better central defenders in the Premier League.
My least favourite, well I don't really have one, I really don't mind the Swans! Maybe I'd go for Marvin Emnes for his ridiculous squad number being the traditionalist I am. 1-11 every week would suit me!
Q7. Which Swansea manager (in the Premier League era - Rodgers, Laudrup or Monk) have you been most impressed with? What do you think of Garry Monk's chances with a full pre-season behind him?
Garry Monk was a big surprise appointment for me and for probably many outside of Swansea when he took over, but having looked at the structure of your club, it makes perfect sense. He has a talented set of players to pick from and certainly doesn't come across as the type of man you wouldn't listen to. His footballing style probably won't exactly be Rodgers-esque going forward but it certainly won't be of the Allardyce mould either. Winning games early on could be key, confidence is a big factor for the smaller of us Premier League sides and with that you may well go on to do well. The one thing I don't see happening is Monk losing his job, and that in itself is an indication of how well I feel you'll do. The modern game tactic of 'sack now, think later' won't get anyone anywhere.
Q8. Finally, at this moment in time how confident would you be if your "first eleven" went up against ours, and how do you think your team will do in general this season?
As it stands I reckon a draw would be fair. For a bit of fun, here's my combined current Albion & Swansea XI. Boing boing!
GK - Foster
RB - Gamboa
LB - Taylor
CB - Williams
CB - Lescott
CM - Mulumbu
CM - Shelvey
RW - Dyer
LW - Brunt
AM - Sessegnon
ST - Bony
Thanks again to Dan for answering our questions! You can follow him on Twitter @BaggiesFacts and check out his website at BaggiesFacts.com