revolving door - OUT
by sandman slim
It’s a fact of life for the Swans these days that multiple incomings can only occur through multiple outgoings, as has been the case this summer. Here’s Sandman Slim again to guide us through the major departures…
Swanning Off
Position: Left Back
Deal: Free Transfer to Southampton
In a Nutshell: The Fall Guy
The Skinny: Mann overboard! Oh it’s ok, he’s washed up on the South Coast, plucked out of the oceans of free agents by his former manager Russell Martin.
You can understand why Manning chose to follow Martin to Southampton for he thrived playing Russ Ball last season.
Barely in and mostly out of the side under Steve Cooper in his first year, successfully converted by Martin to a left sided centre half in his second year, Manning really blossomed in the third and final year of his contract as a rampaging left wing back.
Five goals and ten assists led to him picking up the Player of the Year Award…and also led to him realising he could cash in whilst his stock was high, leading him to refuse all new contract overtures from the Swans.
Whilst Manning – or Rhino as he was nicknamed by one of the Swans’ medical staff for some inexplicable reason! – delivered the goods last year his achievements were always overshadowed by his tendency to go to ground far too easily, his theatrics leaving his teammates in trouble far too often for comfort.
His departure is a loss, but one that can be absorbed – he certainly wasn’t worth breaking the bank for on a lucrative new contract.
I’ll be interested to see though if ‘Saint’ Manning can replicate last season’s achievements or will the ‘sinner’ side of his game frustrate his new set of fans?
Position: Midfielder
Deal: 
Undisclosed Fee Klaxon Sold to Samsunspor
In a Nutshell: Enigmatic player held back by the chip on his shoulder
The Skinny: 
He’s electric, sadly his attitude is just septic
You can tell how miffed the Swans were when Ntcham finally sealed his departure – they gave him all of four sentences when announcing the Cameroon international had left. No look back over his time in South Wales, no gushing tribute about his time here.The club couldn’t even bring itself to include who they sold him to.
The club hierarchy, like me, were just glad to see the back of a wonderfully talented but horribly behaved high wage earner!
Ntcham’s two seasons at Swansea were blighted by his inconsistency and he flattered to deceive right throughout Russell Martin’s reign.
An ever present in new manager Michael Duff’s pre season plans, hopes were high that the player would finally fulfil his potential and take the Championship by the scruff of the neck.
Alas it wasn’t to be as Turkish side Samsunspor tried to push a deal through on the eve of the season. And the player made sure the deal was done – first by letting Duff know the night before the opening game that he was refusing to play and then, bizarrely, turning out for his new side seemingly before the deal had been ratified.
Ntcham’s a talented player but the attitude problems he’s displayed everywhere he’s been will leave that talent unfulfilled. Good riddance.
Position: Striker
Deal: Undisclosed Fee Klaxon Loan to Burnley made permanent
In a Nutshell: Man-child with an eye for goal
The Skinny: It’s fair to say that Obafemi’s year and a half at Swansea City was a frustrating one; like Ntcham the lad has bags of ability combined with the sort of attitude that would provoke even Mother Theresa.
It meant that most of his spell at the Swans was spent on the sidelines with Russell Martin trying to adjust that attitude, punctuated by a blistering spell of goals that seemed to justify the near £2m we paid for him.
In the end Martin gave up on Oba half way through last season and he was shipped off to table toppers Burnley on loan at the start of the January transfer window.
Oba went on to score twice as Burnley gained promotion as runaway champions and the Clarets made the transfer permanent in the summer.
Blessed with blistering pace and decent finishing prowess Obafemi has the tools to thrive in the Premier League – however he will always be held back by his wretched record of injuries and the fact he has the mental age of an eight year old.
From the Swans perspective it’s another talent we’ve lost but another big wage saved to be spent on someone with a much more professional attitude.
Position: Striker
Deal: £12m to Dirty Leeds
In a Nutshell: Party popping prolific Dutch striker
The Skinny: The party is over. At least it is for Swans fans. For Piroe himself, the party is carrying on without slowdown, it’s just relocated to West Yorkshire.
For a moment there in that transfer window it looked like Piroe was going to sign an extension to the contract that would expire at the end of this season. Alas it wasn’t to be and after much speculation but very few bids, Piroe was palmed off to Dirty Leeds for a £12m fee…below market value, maybe, but a significant fee that could never be turned down with the player able to conga off for naff all in January.
It’s been business as usual for Joel since he linked up with Leeds, three goals so far proving his prolific nature to a new set of eager party goers.
After 40 goals in two seasons with the Swans there’s no doubt that Piroe will be sorely missed, After such service it’s hard not to wish the player the best of luck…but he went and signed for a Championship rival, and Dirty Leeds at that so I’m glowering in full party-pooper mode!
Position: Centre back to everyone but Russell Martin
Deal: £500k compensation from Coventry
In a Nutshell: Much maligned defender
The Skinny: A lot of fans were quite happy to see Latibeaudiere leave at the end of his contract, fed up of seeing him at left wing back.
Wyndham Evans in particular was glad to see Lati bow out, but that was because the Swans Legend and part time Swans TV commentator couldn’t cope with the challenge of saying the player’s name properly.
To be fair to the player, his name was given to him at birth and Russell Martin was mad as a box of frogs to play Lati at left wing back. Neither thing is the player’s fault.
The truth is that Joel was a decent left sided centre half, even if he is a little on the short side. He’s a decent professional too, versatile and willing.
Coventry have probably picked up a bargain squad player whilst the Swans made a few bob in compensation and cheered up a great many fans in the process. And Wyndham can sigh with relief at no longer needing to twist his tongue and blow his mind in commentary (shhh don’t tell him we’ve signed Kuharevich!!)
Position: Goalkeeper
Deal: £1m to Fulham
In a Nutshell: Decent keeper that needed to move on
The Skinny: Benda’s been “highly rated” by the Swans ever since his fellow German Gerhard Tremmel brought him to the club several years ago.
But it’s never seemed to happen for Benda in a Swans shirt, a combination of badly timed injuries and unconvinced managers keeping him out of the side.
A successful season on loan at Swindon showed how capable he could be and when he emerged from the shadow of Cooper favourite Freddie Woodman to start as Russell Martin’s No.1 it looked like he’d made the breakthrough many at the club had anticipated.
It didn’t work out that way; Benda was binned after a handful of games and found himself second choice behind first Ben Hamer and then Andy Fisher.
Undaunted, the German stopper fought his way back to claim the gloves last season, only to suffer a serious injury that sees him in the sidelines even now.
Fulham seem confident in the player’s recovery and so offered a million quid for a crocked keeper that had no intention of signing a new contract.
No way the Swans would turn that sort of cash down for a bit part player – that money’s gone straight into our Super Savers account!
