By Paul Jones
Russell Martin has revealed he must sell Swansea City “assets” such as Joel Piroe if he is to strengthen a squad weakened by long term injuries.
The Swans head coach decided to lay bare the policy of the club’s American owners in response to questioning after his team’s 2-0 home defeat to Luton Town on Saturday.
Martin’s team have won just once in their opening five games of the Championship campaign, are now winless in their last seven home games, and have lost key defender Joel Latibeaudiere for at least three months with a shoulder injury.
But Martin has confessed that his orders from above are to sell if he wants to buy before the close of the transfer deadline in 11 days’ time.
Piroe, rated at anywhere between £12m and £25m, is the most likely departure, although last season’s top scorer has yet to find the net this season and interest in him from a number of clubs appears to have yielded no bids.
“As it stands, unless we sell anyone, this is what we have got,” said Martin in reference to any potential incoming signings.
Another tough day for the Swans at https://t.co/gsOfOj9tPA stadium where Swansea City go down 2-0 to Luton Town.
Swansea City 0 v 2 Luton Town
SkyBet Championship@replayimages @news_images_uk @SwansOfficial #replayimages #NewsImages #football #SkyBetChampionship @LutonTown pic.twitter.com/kRUJlUlFvE— Mike Jones (@Mike_Replay) August 20, 2022
“When asked what Swansea’s owners would regard as success this season, Martin said: “Improve on last season and create assets that help the club become sustainable, I presume. That’s where we are at.
“That’s why I tried to be realistic with the expectation in the summer.I am always really honest with you. That is the situation.
“We came when not many others wanted to take on the challenge. We are spending less than we have for a very long time – people at the club might get upset with me saying that, but I am the only guy that ever talks to you and I will talk to you honestly.
“We are in a tricky moment. On Tuesday we could have been sitting fourth in the league.
“We have young men and at some point they are going to get there, we will help them get there and they want to get there, as they did last season.
“Everyone has a choice, to go with it or they can boo at me as much as they want, but it doesn’t help the players. That is the situation.”
Great win for @LutonTown against @SwansOfficial today and a classy move by Rhondda boy ‘Duster’ Nathan Jones dedicating the win to Roger Thomas. A top bloke and a true Bluebird. #RIP @CardiffCityFC https://t.co/O4IgW9m9T6
— Teifion (@teifion1976) August 20, 2022
Martin believes Dutch striker Piroe has been affected by uncertainty over his future, which is unlikely to end until the window has closed.
“He’s working so hard for the team, but in front of goal his mind is not quite clear yet,” he added. “That’s for a number of reasons.
“He’s unsure what’s going to happen, the longer the window goes on. So the minute the window shuts, hopefully he’ll be a bit clearer and hopefully we’ll still have Joel, and I’m sure that’ll help him.”
The Hatters bounced back from midweek disappointment to earn a well-deserved first three three points of the season thanks to goals from Allan Campbell and a first in Luton colours for Carlton Morris.
Martin added: “We’ve let the two minutes of madness on Tuesday night seep into the start again.
“Box to box, I watch with pride at how we play football. Both boxes today, in our box on Tuesday, for two minutes, it’s just not convincing enough.
“There wasn’t enough aggression and we paid for it at the second phase again. We let Cameron Jerome turn inside the pitch and let Carlton Morris one-on-one with Ben Cabango. It’s those moments that are costing us.
“Between both boxes, we’re doing unbelievable stuff. Before today, we were really close to a successful start to the season.
Wake up @SwansOfficial 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/0H92LvHrEv
— Swansea City FC. (@SwansCity1912) August 20, 2022
“We have a really young group who haven’t been able to cope with the anxiety. I actually think two away games will be good for them. We have young men who are trying to learn and get through those moments.”
Luton’s Welsh manager Nathan Jones said: “We were terrible in midweek and went away from being us, but today we were outstanding.
“Our discipline was great and out of possession it was as good a performance as you will see. We denied them very little and we looked a threat.
“It was the perfect away performance. They are a very good technical side who pack the middle of the park. I watched them against Millwall and they could have been out of sight.
“But I thought we were brilliant and when we brought on the finishers we upped the tempo. That was my team again today.
“We are in and around it in the table and we want to start climbing from here. I’m proud of that performance and we know where we are as a team.
“We work hard as a team and we are hungry and humble. We won’t get carried away, but this is something to build on in a really long season.”