Your Swansea City headlines on Tuesday, October 4.
Martin's Championship offer before joining Swans
Russell Martin revealed he turned down an offer to join a Championship club before leaving MK Dons to become Swansea boss last year.
The former Scotland international was approached by the Swans in July 2021 following the departure of Steve Cooper and was appointed as the club's new head coach on August 1, just six days before the new season started.
However, the Swans boss has said he wouldn't have left MK Dons for just any club higher up the football pyramid, adding that he rejected the advances of a Championship team in January last year.
"It [leaving MK Dons] was tough," he said on the Swans Podcast. "People think we were blagging it or whatever when we say we wouldn't have left for anyone, and we didn't.
"We had the chance to go to the Championship in January and we didn't because it didn't feel like us, it didn't feel right and didn't feel like the right time."
As guest on the first edition of the club's new podcast, head coach Martin discussed a range of topics - including the city of Swansea, his career as a professional footballer and his family.
The 36-year-old also revealed how the Swans were one of only three clubs in the top four divisions of English football to reply to a letter he sent in a desperate attempt to find himself a club at the beginning of his playing career.
"I got into the England Colleges team, from there I got a scholarship in America, I was going to a place in Connecticut called Fairfield University," he said.
"It was all sorted, a full scholarship, I was going to study journalism. It was all sorted. Before I did, I decided to write to every club in the 92, Swansea were only one of three to reply at the time which is crazy. It was Swansea, Bristol Rovers and Wycombe.
"I was skint, and Wycombe was the closest and cheapest to get to. My brother's still got the letter from Swansea, I need to dig it out. He had the neater hand-writing, so he typed up the letter, photocopied it and then he wrote all of the envelopes and I licked the stamp and put them on.
"I went on trial to Wycombe for a week, they put me straight in the first team squad because I could run. I travelled with the first team, so all of a sudden I was going from college football to playing Charlton and Portsmouth who were in the Premier League at the time."
West Brom tapes reviewed
Matt Gill says Swansea need to improve on their performance against West Brom when they take on Watford.
The Swans came from behind to win 3-2 at The Hawthorns Stadium on Saturday but conceded numerous chances after taking an early lead against the Baggies.
However, assistant boss Gill admits the mood in the Swansea camp is positive following what was a third win in four games ahead of the clash with Slaven Bilic's side.
"The result was really pleasing but the big thing for us was that – as the gaffer said – the performance could have been better," he said.
"So the mood is good after a win and the good little run we have been on, but we and the players also know there is more to come from us, there are a lot of things we can improve on.
"We have been through the review and the unit meetings we have to look at those things, but 10 points from five games is definitely a positive.
"After the start we had the lads have shown tremendous courage to continue working and playing the way we want to, and concentrate on building performances. So, I am pleased for them, and hopefully we can build on it."
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Wright thrilled with young guns
Anthony Wright lavished praise on Swansea's Under-21s after they came from behind to beat Colchester United 4-1 at Landore.
Kai Redgrave struck the opener for the away side in the opening minute, but goals from Tarrelle Whittaker and Ruben Davies combined with a brace from Josh Thomas earned the hosts all three points in the Professional Development League encounter.
And coach Wright has revealed details of his half-time team talk that inspired Swansea to an impressive comeback victory.
"Overall, it was a good performance and I'm so happy for the boys. Lots of things we have worked on came out in the game. I am really pleased with some of the patterns today, especially on the build and in the second half," he told the club website.
"It's pleasing for the players that they didn't show disappointment after conceding the goal, they got composed and started passing the ball quite well. If I'm being critical of the first half we probably didn't control it as well as we did in the second half. But, we did create enough chances to have come in maybe four or five up.
"At half-time, we just asked them to connect a bit better, make the pitch smaller inside, make shorter passes. Then, when gaps open up, we had to make sure to play through and play through with a purpose.
"We did that really well in the second half, I thought we controlled the game against a decent opposition, we made it hard for them to damage us."
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton believes Watford will be too strong for Swansea when the pair meet at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night.
The Swans go into the match on the back of a remarkable comeback victory at West Brom, although the Hornets thumped Stoke City 4-0 in new manager Slaven Bilic's first game in charge on Saturday.
And Sky Sports pundit Prutton fully expects Watford to clinch all three points when they welcome the Swans to Hertfordshire. "That was a great start for Slaven Bilic and Watford on Sunday, as they put four goals past Stoke in a performance that really showed off their attacking potential," he said.
"If they can keep that going they will be challenging the top two in no time. Swansea enjoyed an excellent late win at West Brom on Saturday, as they continued their recent climb up the table after a slow start this season. But if Watford look as strong as they did on Sunday then they should be too good."
David Prutton's prediction: Watford 2-0 Swansea City
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