A positive start but an inevitable end... the rise and fall of Sheehan at Swans

IN the end, it was a surprise, but not necessarily a shock. Swansea City's decision to part company with Alan Sheehan on Tuesday afternoon has felt inevitable ever since poor old Cameron Burgess slid in to poke home his second own goal in the 4-1 defeat to Ipswich Town.

- TOM COLEMAN Football Writer [e-mail]

That latest reverse condemned Swansea to their worst start to a league season since relegation from the Premier League, with City taking just two wins from their last 11 league outings.

But the timing does still feels slightly unexpected.

As recently as Monday, Sheehan was seemingly set to be the man in charge for the trip to Bristol City after the international break.

But, presumably after a few days of reflection, the club have decided to go in a different direction.

For supporters, it's something of a relief. For Sheehan, it's a sad end to a job he'd coveted for the last few years.

Indeed, for all his faults, the one thing you can't deny is Sheehan's overwhelming passion for coaching Swansea City.

His affection for the club and for the local area has always felt genuine, and his decision to face supporters at the end of that 4-1 hammering to Ipswich, one of his last acts as Swans boss, points to a genuine respect and affinity to supporters

That understanding of supporters, however, is precisely the reason he can have few complaints.

It's been a long road up until this point, one that started all the way back when former boss Michael Duff was sacked towards the end of 2023.

Sheehan was handed the reins on a temporary basis, and made it clear to the hierarchy at the time he had ambitions of taking the number-one slot permanently.

His audition was pretty strong, in fairness, with Sheehan overseeing seven games and claiming a win percentage of 42.86 per cent.

Nevertheless, the Swans would ultimately go on to appoint Luke Williams in the January, although the assurances given to Sheehan, who would serve on Williams' coaching staff further underlined his strong relationship with the club's hierarchy.

Insiders paint Sheehan as a hugely trusted figure within the power structure of the club, with some even suggesting he had a big say on certain transfers.