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Press cuttings |
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Sunday, May 19, 2002 I'll be relying on no.2 Alan says Cusack |
| Sunday Mirror SWANSEA CITY boss Nick Cusack last night insisted No.2 Alan Curtis will play a crucial role in his Swans attempting a dramatic U-turn next season. The Vetch player-coach re-appointed Curtis, 49, just over seven months after he was sacked with John Hollins last September. With his club needing to clear debts of £1.3million, PFA chairman Cusack, had to dump eight players 24 hours after the 1-0 FAW Premier Cup Final defeat by Cardiff. Cusack said: "Tuesday was one of the hardest days of my life. I had to tell lads I'd worked with over the last four years they had to go. "I went home miserable, but football can be a cut-throat business. I've got to get used to these tasks." Cusack will look to bolster his squad but any captures will need the seal of approval from Curtis. The Yorkshireman said: "I drafted Alan in for his experience, he'll be consulted on a regular basis." Which probably wasn't the case when Hollins was in charge. Cusack added: "John was very much his own man, Alan rubber-stamped his decisions. That won't be the case with me - Alan will play an integral role." |
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Friday, May 17, 2002 Swans set to snap up Keaveny |
| Evening Post
Carmarthen Town striker John Keaveny was today expected to become Swansea City's first summer signing. |
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Friday, May 17, 2002 Swans get big thanks from youth |
| Evening Post
The Swans have received a big thank-you for supporting grassroots football. |
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Thursday, May 16, 2002 Sidibe future to be decided |
| Teamtalk Nick Cusack has confirmed that Mamady Sidibe's future at the club will depend on the outcome of the ankle surgery he is having this week. The Swans boss said: "We are trying to be responsible here. We can't offer players long contracts unless we're sure they're going to be able to contribute to the team and be available for selection at the start of next season. "We can't afford to allow what's happened here in previous seasons of paying players to be on the treatment table all year. "We'll closely monitor how Mama (Sidibe) responds to ankle surgery and if he does we can talk to him about the possibility of a longer deal." |
The striker has been offered a monthly deal at The Vetch starting in July but Cusack has admitted that the club cannot afford to pay players that are not available for selection. |
Thursday, May 16, 2002 Hollins issues sacking warning to managers |
| Evening Post
Former Swansea City boss John Hollins has warned other managers he is unlikely to be the last managerial casualty in the wake of his departure from Rochdale following the ITV Digital collapse that has sent a shockwave through the lower divisions. |
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Wednesday, May 15, 2002 Cusack's 'hardest day' releasing players |
| Western Mail SWANSEA CITY player-coach Nick Cusack described telling eight players that they no longer had a future at the Vetch Field as the hardest day of his football career. Cusack, who yesterday announced his retained list for next season, has released goalkeeper Jason Jones, defenders Chris Todd and Steve Healey, midfielders Jonathan Coates, Ryan Casey and Craig Draper, and forwards Steve Brodie and Chris O'Sullivan. The departure of 21-year-old centre-back Todd - who not long ago was seen as one of the Swans' bright-est young prospects -- is perhaps the only surprise name on Cusack's list. "This has been the most difficult thing I've done in my entire football career," said Cusack last night. "I've made a decision that affects the future of players' lives. "I take no pleasure in making these sort of decisions. You'd have to question the humanity of those who would enjoy making them. "What has made drawing up this list even more difficult is that a lot of the players are friends of mine. "But I've got a job to do. I've got to make this club a success and that's what I'm going to be judged on. I've got to do what I think is right and I think the players I've let go respect that." Coates, who made 245 league outings for the Swans, leaves after nine years at the Vetch. Casey, whose time at the club was hampered by injury, made 62 league appearances, while Todd made 42 and Brodie 25. Out of first-year professionals Draper, Healey and O'Sullivan, only Draper broke into the first team, making two league appearances. With Roger Freestone in goal, Jones's opportunities were always limited at the Vetch and he made 10 league appearances since joining the Swans in 1997. Explaining the reasoning behind the departures, Cusack said, "I want seven or eight dependable players in my side, players who know the game and who know the Third Division. "I haven't got a large budget but I need to bring in new faces. The only way I can do that is by letting players go. "If this club had a lot of money then possibly I could wait for certain players like Toddy to develop, but that's not the case. "I'm looking for seasoned campaigners. If you look at teams like Hartlepool, Luton and Rushden & Diamonds they had strong, physical players in their teams. "We've got to compete with them, so we can't afford to have too many youngsters. Looking back at the season which has just finished, I don't think we really battled. "I want players who are bigger, fitter and stronger. The players who I've released know that I've got a job to do and they know I've got decisions to make. "I want a fitter and better-organised team. We're moving in the right direction. We've got a new training ground and we've got a good pre-season planned." He added, "Obviously, the players were a little upset when I told them the news, but I think they took it well as could be expected. "They're a good bunch of lads, they all want to be professional footballers and I've told them I'll help them in any way I can. "But this is the nature of the football business - every year the personnel at football clubs changes." Out-of-contract defender Neil Sharp yesterday accepted Cusack's offer of a new one-year deal. The 24-year-old centre-back, signed by former Swans manager Colin Addison last season from Merthyr Tydfil, said, "It's been a horrible time waiting to see who is staying and who is going. "I feel sorry for the boys who have been released but, on a personal level I'm relieved that I can finally relax and start thinking about the future." |
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Wednesday, May 15, 2002 Total shock for Todd as he is shown door |
| Western Mail CHRIS TODD last night expressed his "total shock" at being shown the door by Swansea City player-coach Nick Cusack. The 20-year-old defender - one of eight players released yesterday by the Third Division club - said it came as a total surprise to be told he had no future at the Vetch. And Swansea-born Todd, who joined the club as a trainee in August 2000, accused Cusack of not giving him long enough to prove his first-team capabilities. "I was devastated when Nick gave me the news," he said. "It came as a total shock because I thought I had done well enough over the past two years to earn a new contract. "Considering I'm only 20, I think I've done OK. Perhaps it was the easy option to release me because I'm young and haven't played as many games as others. "But I don't feel I've been given a fair crack of the whip. All young players need a run of games to show what they can do and it would have been nice to have had another season to prove myself." Of the eight players who left the Vetch yesterday, Todd's departure is certainly the most surprising. Once regarded as one of the club's most promising young players, the defender was expected to play a part in Cusack's new Vetch Field regime. But with Jason Smith and Kristian O'Leary likely to be first-choice central defenders next season, Cusack chose to offer Neil Sharp a new one-year deal rather than gamble on the less-experienced Todd. "Nick told me he was looking for more physical and more experienced centre-halves which, I must admit, I found a bit strange," said Todd, who made his Swans league debut against Northampton Town in March 2001. "I wouldn't say I've had a great season, but I think I've coped with the rough and tumble of the Third Division quite well. "I was brought back into the side when we were struggling last season and I thought I acquitted myself well. It was a big bonus to be called into the Wales Under-21 training squad in April and I felt certain then that I would be offered a new contract with the Swans." Todd, who made 32 league and cup appearances last season and scored three goals, has lined up trials at First Division Bradford City and Scottish Premier League side Dundee. "It's sad that I've got to go so far from Swansea," he said. "I'm a Swansea boy and I love the city, the club and the fans." |
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Wednesday, May 15, 2002 Month-to-month |
| Western Mail NICK CUSACK has offered striker Mamady Sidibe, who is free to leave the Vetch, a month-to-month contract, writes Mario Risoli. The Mali-born striker will undergo an ankle operation in the summer so Cusack is reluctant to tie him down with a long-term contract. "He had the injury before he came to this club and he's aggravated it playing during the last season," said the player-coach. "He will have an operation on it during the summer. Hopefully he will be OK by the start of August." |
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 Swansea set to buy Cheltenham midfielder |
| Ananova Former Cheltenham midfielder Michael Jackson has been offered a contract by Swansea City. The 21-year-old is the first of the six players released by Steve Cotterrill last week to find himself a new club. "This is a good move for Michael and I am very pleased for him indeed," Cotterill told the club's official website. |
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 Bluebirds offers Swans assistance |
| Teamtalk Cardiff boss Lennie Lawrence says he is prepared to help Swansea out next season with loan players, and may even offer to pay their wages. Lawrence said: "I've spoken to Nick (Cusack) about it - not specific players, but he knows who is in the reserves. "He obviously won't get some of the players but we may sort something out with others. "They would obviously be loan deals as players are under contract here, and while I am not saying for definite we'd pay their wages too, that could well happen." Lawrence went on to say that a lot of clubs could no longer afford the wages of the Cardiff players, but as Swansea were up the road the arrangement would be beneficial all round. He added: "My squad players need first-team football, not to be sitting with no action." |
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 Kavanagh's £100,000 match-winner |
| Western Mail
FAW Premier Cup final: Cardiff City 1-0 Swansea City Bluebirds captain Graham Kavanagh decided the first competitive match between the two sides for three years with a terrific 25-yard free-kick early in the second half. Swansea player-coach Nick Cusack would love to have ended a tortuous season at the Vetch Field with a sweet victory over the Bluebirds - but the cash-strapped Swans, beaten finalists last year, had to make do with a £50,000 runners-up cheque. However, considering the Swans played their last league game nearly two months ago, Cusack should be proud of his team's display. Now the 36-year-old midfielder can get on with the business of drawing up his retained list for next season. Several Swansea players might have kicked their last ball for the club in this final. As for Cardiff, this victory could never compensate for the shattering play-off exit at the hands of Stoke and it showed in the Bluebirds' post-match celebrations which were subdued to say the least. After the heartbreaking defeat against the Potters, and anxious to end the season on a positive note, Bluebirds manager Lennie Lawrence fielded a strong line-up against the Swans although strikers Peter Thorne and Andy Campbell were surprise omissions. Winger Leon Jeanne was handed a rare start after impressing in the reserves. Swansea's league campaign ended on April 20 and Cusack has tried to keep his players in shape by playing three friendlies, against Hereford, Hakin United and Port Talbot. The Bluebirds, the shattering playoff experience clearly fresh in their minds, started lethargically but they nearly opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Jason Bowen headed Kavanagh's free-kick against a post. Until that point the Swans looked the hungrier of the two sides and Steve Watkin was presented with a fine opportunity to break the deadlock courtesy of Layton Maxwell's suicidal square pass but the former Wrexham player failed to punish the error. Jeanne was having an excellent match and he nearly beat Roger Freestone with the outside of his right boot after latching on to Bowen's through ball. Lawrence must have roasted his players during the interval because City looked a different side after the break and Kavanagh, anonymous in the first half, put the Bluebirds ahead with a stunning free-kick in the 56th minute. Swans defender Kris O'Leary was penalised for cutting down Leo Fortune-West and City's skipper revived memories of his famous strike against Leeds in the FA Cup, bending his shot past Freestone before watching the ball go in off the post. The Swans were now chasing the game and it was no surprise to see attacker Steve Brodie make an entrance in the 66th minute, Andrew Mumford making way for him. Brodie came close to making an immediate impact by engineering his side's first real chance of the second half. The ex-Scarborough player forced his way to the by-line but Howard failed to reach his low cross. The Swans' dugout waited until the 82nd minute before throwing on ex-Cardiff striker John Williams, the former postman replacing Coates. And Williams was immediately involved in the action, crossing for Watkin whose dipping header bounced off the crossbar. |
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 Thomas poised to link up with Swans |
| Western Mail SWANSEA CITY player-coach Nick Cusack is expected to make Blackburn Rovers' Wales Under-21 striker James Thomas one of his first signings. The Western Mail understands that Swansea-born Thomas, who is out of contract at Ewood Park this summer, will be offered a two-year deal by the Third Division club. The 23-year-old forward joined Rovers five years ago as a trainee and made a handful of first-team appearances during the 2000-01 season when Blackburn won promotion to the Premiership. But Thomas, who had a loan spell at Sheffield United towards the end of that season and was part of the deal that saw Marcus Bent move from Bramall Lane to Blackburn, has struggled to pin down a regular place in the senior squad. Last season he found himself behind Matt Jansen, Andy Cole, Mark Hughes, Egil Ostenstad and Spanish striker Yordi in the Ewood Park pecking order. In March he joined Bristol Rovers on loan until the end of the season, but new Pirates manager Ray Gray-don chose not to offer Thomas a permanent move. Thomas, who also had a loan spell at Blackpool in 2000, impressed Cu-sack and Swans assistant Alan Curtis when he played in a trial game at the Vetch last week and linked up with the squad as they prepared for last night's FAW Premier Cup final against Cardiff City. The 6ft 1in striker is due to have a trial at Third Division rivals Oxford United this week but won't travel to the Kassam Stadium if he receives an offer from Swansea. However, it is understood the deal could be put on hold for a couple of weeks as Thomas's agent is abroad and the cash-strapped Swans may decide to first off-load some of their out-of-contract players. Thomas is resigned to having no future at Ewood Park and is setting his heart on a move to his home-town club after seven years away from Swansea. The Swans, who are expected to release Mali-born striker Mamady Sidibe, believe Thomas can provide the goal-scoring threat which has been missing from the side in recent months. |
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 Trouble flares despite arrests at cup final |
| Western Mail CARDIFFand Swansea football fans pelted police and each other with stones and bottles as trouble erupted after the FAW cup final at Ninian Park in the capital last night. Police said their efficient tactics and considerable numbers had prevented any greater disorder. In the run-up to the match police had arrested 32 Swansea fans, aged between 16 and 34, whom they had identified as potential troublemakers as a result of an intelligence-led policing operation. The fans were held at police stations in Cardiff until after the game. But trouble flared as fans made their way out of the ground after the final whistle, and police in the club car park were pelted with missiles. At one point mounted officers advanced to disperse a group of troublemakers. One police officer was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury. A 24-year-old Cardiff fan from Bridgend was arrested for throwing a missile inside the ground, and a 21-year-old from Merthyr was arrested as part of operation Bellow, after having been identified as being involved in trouble at Cardiff's play-off match against Stoke on May 1. |
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Monday, May 13, 2002 Let's win it for the fans - Cusack |
| Western Mail NICK CUSACK will deliver a simple instruction to his Swansea City players ahead of tonight's FAW Premier Cup final against Cardiff City at Ninian Park - win it for the fans. Player-coach Cusack believes the Swans owe their supporters a huge debt for pulling the Third Division club through arguably the worst season in its 90-year history. And the PFA chairman, who will tomorrow begin dismantling his squad before starting a massive summer rebuilding job, is desperate to win the trophy as consolation for a miserable nine months at the Vetch. "There's no denying that it has been an awful season," said Cu-sack. "Which is why it would be particularly nice for me, the players and the fans to win some silver-ware." The supporters have stuck by us through thick and thin and it would be special if we could win the FAW Premier Cup for them at Ninian Park. "If it wasn't for the supporters, I don't think there would still be a football club in Swansea. Being able to repay them would give me a great deal of satisfaction." Tonight's South Wales derby - around 1,500 Swans fans will make the short trip along the M4 - will mark the last hurrah for several members of the Vetch Field contingent. Expected to be saying their goodbyes after the game are the out-of-contract Jonathan Coates, Ryan Casey, Steve Brodie, Mamady Sidibe, Craig Draper, Stephen Healey, Chris O'Sullivan and either Chris Todd or Neil Sharp. Cusack, who last week held a trial game at the Vetch for Nationwide League players looking for a new club, must then start his rebuilding job in earnest. Several candidates have already been linked with a move to Swansea, but Cusack has delayed moving into the transfer market until after tonight's clash when he will announce his retained list for next season. And he insists the speculation over who will or won't be at the Vetch next year has not disrupted preparations for Swansea's duel against their arch rivals. "Everything has been relaxed and we have prepared well for Cardiff,' said the 36-year-old. "I shouldn't have to motivate players for this game. "It's a cup final, against our old rivals Cardiff with a sizeable contingent of Swansea fans expected at Ninian Park - what extra motivation do they need?" Cusack has warned his players to expect a Bluebirds' backlash following Cardiff's play-off disappointment against Stoke City. "Cardiff will be keen to make amends for missing out on promotion," he said. "They've got some great play-ers - just look at the pace of (Robert) Earnshaw and (Andy) Campbell up front and the mid-field of (Graham) Kavanagh, (Willie) Boland and (Mark) Bonner - and they've a good manager in Lennie Lawrence. "But if we play to our full potential and adopt a positive attitude we can cause a shock." Swansea squad: Freestone, Phillips, Howard, Sharp, Smith, O'Leary, Todd, Cusack, Coates, Mumford, Draper, Brodie, Williams, Watkin, Sidibe, Jones.
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Sunday, May 12, 2002 Sam faces a big bus bill |
| Sunday Mirror CARDIFF CITY owner Sam Hammam is facing a £7,500 bill after his offer to bus Swansea fans to Ninian Park free for tomorrow's FAW Premiership final. Nearly 1,500 Swansea fans have taken up the offer. "They can't resist the chance of a free ride at Cardiff's expense," said a supporters club spokesman. Hammam, who has urged the warring factions among both sets of supporters to unite in the cause of Welsh football, hopes his pledge will go a long way to bringing the two clubs closer together. |
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Sunday, May 12, 2002 Former Swan wants coaching role |
| Teamtalk Former Swans winger John Hodge has admitted that he wants to become a coach, although he still believes he can continue his playing career. Hodge was released by Northampton last week after two years at Sixfields following a £25,000 switch from Gillingham, and is currently searching for a new club. But the former Walsall, Swansea and Exeter player has revealed an interest in continuing in football after his playing days come to an end. He said: "I'm 33 and I would like to get into a little bit of coaching, but I still think I've got a couple of playing years left. "Certainly I'd like to get into coaching, I love coaching and helping out the kids, youngsters in schools and that sort of thing." |
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