Swansea City manager Paul Clement says he should be judged based on the club’s position at the end of the Premier League season rather than the first few games of the campaign.
Swansea have lost three of their last four league games and are 15th in the table on eight points, level on points with the three teams below them and out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
File image of Swansea City manager Paul Clement. Reuters
Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Everton have fired their managers after poor starts so far but Clement is confident that his team are not in crisis and will turn their fortunes around shortly.
"I believe I should be judged at the end of the season after 38 games,“ Clement told reporters on Thursday. I have been around this game long enough to know you have got to keep level headed."
"There are always good moments around the corner, assuming you remain positive and put the right amount of work in and stay focused."
"(Last season showed) if you are persistent, maintain belief and stay together collectively — and myself and the players are positive — the rewards will come. They will."
Clement noted that the points difference between his side and those in the top half is marginal, with 10th-placed Southampton just four points ahead, and said that he has the backing of the club’s owners.
"We are two wins away from people not being worried because we would be 10th or 11th in the table. It’s a sense of realism about what the situation is. It is very tight, the gap is absolutely nothing," Clement added.
"There is no pressure from them (the owners). Ever since I have been here the chairman and the owners have been very supportive. They are actually very positive people as well and they feel everything is going to be okay."
Swansea travel to fifth-placed Arsenal in the league on Saturday.
Published Date: Oct 27, 2017 05:07 pm | Updated Date: Oct 27, 2017 05:07 pm
