Swansea appoint Luke Williams as new head coach
The Notts County manager was confirmed as Swans boss on Friday afternoon.
Last updated 5th Jan 2024
Swansea City have appointed Notts County manager Luke Williams as their new head coach.
Williams replaces former boss Michael Duff, who was sacked in December after a run of just five wins in 19 games in the Sky Bet Championship.
He leaves Notts County after a little over 18 months in charge, with The Magpies currently 5th in League Two, having won promotion via the National League play-offs in May last year.
43 year old Williams returns to the Swans after a previous stint with the club in 2022, assisting then-boss Russell Martin.
Ryan Harley, Williams' assistant coach is also set to make the move from Meadow Lane back to South Wales, having played for Swansea during his playing career.
Swansea chairman Andy Coleman told the club website: “As I have said previously, we have undertaken a diligent and detailed process to find our next head coach.
“I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time with Luke recently. I have looked him in the eye and know that we can trust Luke to be a coach and leader who is aligned with our vision for Swansea City."
Alan Sheehan's been in caretaker charge since Duff was sacked, overseeing three wins, two draws and two defeats during his seven game stint in charge.
Sheehan himself called for the process of appointing a full-time manager to be completed this week in the wake of the 1-0 home win over West Brom.
The appointment brings to a close a tumultuous period for the club, with many fans feeling Michael Duff was the wrong choice when he was made head coach in June 2022.
He irked fans with questionable opinions about the South Wales derby and was criticised for his style of play, despite putting together a string of victories in early October.
However, after claiming just six points from the subsequent eight games, Duff ultimately sealed his own fate, with a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield forcing the Swans board into making a decision on his future.
As a result, Duff became the first Swans boss to be sacked since Paul Clement was relieved of his duties in 2017.
Swans Chairman Andy Coleman said he'll "learn from the experience of these last several months."
"My appreciation for how critical the Swansea identity is to this club has grown since the summer."
To replace Duff, the club had lined up Chris Davies, who was Brendan Rodgers' assistant between 2010 and 2012, though he opted to remain in his coaching role at Tottenham with Ange Postecolgu.