This week finally saw some positive(ish) comments from two of our star's agents
It's been a bit quiet domestically this week - what with the World Cup starting and all that. Understandable really. For Swansea fans the World Cup this time around has a tad more interest, with Wilfried Bony, Michel Vorm, Jonathan De Guzman & Ki Sung-Yueng all seemingly set to play active roles in their countries' respective campaigns for international glory. De Guzman (who I know may not be back next season) has got off to a blinding start - granted he didn't play amazingly but still - it must be something to play the majority of a 5-1 win over the defending World and European Champions. Even if they did seem to improve once he was subbed off. Sorry Jono.
Moving on from a player who may well not be here next season, to two I believe most definitely will be we have Ashley Williams and Wilfried Bony. Starting with Ash, I had a bit of a moan the other day (link) about his agent's attempts to prise more money out of the Swans, because while I know it's his job to do that the club have been very good to Ashley Williams; I'd say as good as he's been for us.
We've allowed him to develop into the player he's become, and while he's been very good for us no-one is bigger than the club, and any negotiations with the club you've been playing for for this length of time should be done with the utmost respect, I feel. That being said, the one swipe Ash's agent Jamie Moralee had at the club in his latest comments is regarding the lack of progress we've seen over a new contract, so it could be argued we haven't shown him the respect he deserves too. Six of one...
Here are Moralee's latest offerings in full:
"At the end of the day, we'll see what happens. A bid's come in from Sunderland, but I've got no control over who bids for my players and neither has the player. At the moment, Ash is in Sardinia, I'm in Brazil and Huw Jenkins is somewhere else.
"It's up to Swansea to make him an offer because he doesn't want to leave. Just because a club has put a bid in, that's not to say Ash wants to leave — that's far from the truth. There's been a lot of interest in Ash and that was always going to be the case, particularly as he only has one year left on his contract.
"How we've arrived at this situation, I don't know. If we'd talked about the contract in January we wouldn't be in this position. When players go into their last year it's dangerous. This is business, it's not personal. Hopefully we can get the situation put right for all parties.
"Ash is fairly chilled about it as he has been for the last four or five transfer windows. Everything points to Ash wanting to stay. He's settled at Swansea, he's not far off 30 and not that far from a testimonial season, but he's got two kids and a third on the way.
"He has a family to support so the deal has to be right for Swansea and it has to be right for Ash. I'm sure a deal can be agreed."
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Ashley-Williams-wants-stay-mdash-Swansea-City/story-21230752-detail/story.html?#Gl31vi8wdyxXKac6.99
It's the first time we've heard someone from Ash's camp backing up what the Monk had already said - that Ash wants to be here next season - and it's good to see. I took these comments as something of an olive branch, as until now everything (from Moralee's end anyway) seemed pretty non-commital. Hopefully this will be sorted out sooner rather than later, and Ash can get his head down to prepare for next season.
On to big Wilf, and while he's unlikely to get much World Cup gametime as long as Drogba & Traore stay fit he's not particularly short of plucky suitors from all corners of Europe. It's rumoured Dortmund are interested, and if I'm honest that's the only club I've seen linked with him who would possibly be a tempting offer. The others - of the ilk of West Ham and Newcastle - have effectively been laughed off by his agent, who echoed what I've been saying all summer. If it's not a top-six club in the UK, or a Champions League club abroad, there's no point in him moving. He's settled now, so unless it's a major step up he might as well keep banging in goals where he is.
'They could have signed him for £10m,[Newcastle] but they said they weren`t sure if he was good enough, that he was only playing in Holland. I know Wilfried. I brought him over from Africa and I know what he can do. I used to be a player and coach myself.
'I told them that he would score goals wherever he played but it was only Huw Jenkins who took the risk. Now he is worth £20m. Newcastle is a traditional, fantastic club but they are always the same with transfers. I was in contact with them a couple of years ago over Tomas Ujfalusi, who played for Atletico and Fiorentina, but it was a similar story.`
'We have a certain strategy. Bony is in a totally different place to Newcastle and wants to move to a club with ambition. We have had no contact with Newcastle.`
'The next step for Bony is a top-six team in England or a top team in Germany, Spain or France, or he will stay with Swansea.' Dalibor Lacina (Bony's agent)
http://www.swansea.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=361141#ixzz34cZFBSxv
I'm not really worried about either Bony or Ash being here next season now. Ash has now publicly said he wants to stay (essentially anyway), while Bony...well, who would stump up the cash based on one season in a "top" league? Ironically you only have to look at his Spanish teammate Michu to see that a) teams are reluctant to spend big based on one season banging in the goals and b) that the goals may well dry up in the second season - for whatever reason. Hence a). I refer to this as "James Beattie syndrome", and I'm sure there have been many examples of players having a freak season before disappearing.
I don't think this will be the case with Bony at all, but I do believe it'll stop the kind of clubs who should be looking at him from making a bid before January, at least. If he stuffs goals in for the first half of next season we could well then face a struggle to keep hold of him, but until then we should be fine. Stump up or shut up. If someone bids twenty-five million for him this summer he'll probably go - but no-one will. Assuming he doesn't finish top-scorer at the World Cup, anyway.
For now then, all we've got to look forward to is protracted transfers news and Michel Vorm's token interview a day from wherever he is in Brazil. I'll endeavour to provide interesting content despite a lack of talking points - expect stats. Until then!