Claim made as Swansea City's "main option" to replace Alan Sheehan - risk highlighted | OneFootball

FLW's Swansea Fan Pundit Will has given his thoughts on the club's managerial search.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Following the sacking of Alan Sheehan earlier this week, Swansea City are in search of a new manager to propel the club back up the Championship standings.

The Swans find themselves sitting 18th after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat at the hands of Ipswich last time out, leaving the club's hierarchy with no choice but to relieve Sheehan of his duties heading into the international break.

Wales Online reported this week that Swedish head coach Kim Hellberg is one of the early favourites to take the job in South Wales, and fresh reports from Sweden indicate that the 37-year-old, who guided Hammarby to a second-place finish, is in Wales for talks with the club.

Football League World's Swans Fan Pundit, Will Hughes, believes that Hellberg has to be the "main option" for the club moving forward.

"The main option has to be" - Call made for Swansea to bring in Kim Hellberg

Speaking first about the sacking of Sheehan, Will said that: "I feel like the writing was on the wall with this one. When the fans turn on you in the stadium, and they are calling for you to go, I feel like there is no turning back. I respect Alan Sheehan for the work that he did in his two interim spells. Ultimately, as the main man, he just wasn't cut out for the job."

Sheehan guided the Swans to 11th place in the Championship last term; however, form has seriously dipped since the start of the current campaign.

When asked as to who his number one choice is to replace Sheehan and why, Will outlined that: "The main option has got to be Kim Hellberg."

Hellberg recently guided Swedish outfit Hammarby to second place in the Allsvenskan. Following current Leicester City manager Marti Cifuentes' move to Queens Park Rangers in 2023, Hellberg arrived as his replacement ahead of the 2024 term, with the Swedish football season running from March to November.

"I did actually call for him to be appointed when Luke Williams was sacked," added Will. "Hellberg makes sense, his philosophy and style of play coincide with how we want to play, and how fans want to see Swansea play. That is what I look at."

Will also mentioned two other names as the Swans look to bring a new manager in: "The other names I wouldn't say no to are Michael Carrick - when he came down in his first season as Middlesbrough manager, they played some electric attacking football, and were on the front foot.

"And there was talk of Brendan Rodgers, but I don't see it happening. I would imagine that he sees himself as a Premier League manager, which I agree with."

However, Will is certain that Hellberg is the man that the Swans need to be ready to appoint, saying: "I think that it's written in the stars, with the Swedish league season finishing recently, alongside Sheehan being sacked.

"I understand that there is an element of risk. Of course, coming from the Swedish league without a pre-season is risky. But, I am thankful that he will be coming in before the January transfer window, where he will have some time to assess the squad.

"Exciting times, it's always exciting when you are looking for a new manager. We may not hit the ground running straight away, but ultimately, if we see good performances, results will certainly follow," concluded Will.

Swansea require short-term gain, with long-term value

Following their relegation to the Championship in 2018, Swansea have begun multiple projects that have been cut short sooner than would have been envisaged. Graham Potter left the club for Brighton ahead of the 2019/20 season, Steve Cooper departed after guiding the club to the play-off final, and Russell Martin was poached by Southampton following their relegation.

Sheehan was brought in last season in more of a firefighter role. And he galvanised the side fantastically, fanning the flames after a tough start to the campaign. However, the current campaign has proven that the long-term value simply wasn't there.

Swansea averaged 1.9 points per game under Sheehan last term, and this stat dropped drastically this season, with the Swans registering just 1.1 per game.

They have also struggled in the final third. Despite posting the fifth-highest average possession stat in the Championship, with 55%, Swansea have scored 15 times, with an xG number of 12.5 - suggesting that they have actually been overperforming in relation to the number of goals expected to be scored.

This essentially points in the direction that the Swans are not creating enough, which is further backed up by them having created the lowest number of big chances in the division, with 15.

Naturally, the Allsvenskan differs when compared with the Championship. However, Hellberg's numbers at Hammarby paint a completely different picture.

On their way to a second-place finish this term, Hellberg's side registered the highest average possession in the division with 61.9%. And this did not go to waste, with their two goals per match also being the highest in the league, alongside 14 clean sheets to match title winners Mjällby.

Swansea require the quality to galvanise the squad with the aim of leaping up the standings, but the long-term value also has to be there in the appointment.

At just 37 years old, Hellberg has proven credentials when it comes to controlled, attacking football, and he may just fit the bill of starting the next project at Swansea following the premature departures of the managers mentioned.