3 Luke Williams replacements that Swansea City must consider ASAP ft ex-Norwich City man | OneFootball

We looked at three managers Swansea City should consider to replace Luke Williams ahead of his expected departure.

Swansea City have parted company with head coach Luke Williams after just over a year in charge.

After previously spending time at Swansea as Russell Martin's assistant, Williams made the move from League Two side Notts County to take over as head coach last January following the sacking of Michael Duff.

The 43-year-old led the Swans to a 14th-placed finish in the Championship last season, and they made a decent start to this campaign, but their form has declined significantly in recent weeks.

Swansea have lost seven of their last nine league games, and in addition to the poor run of results, relations between Williams and supporters became strained after he failed to shut down speculation linking him with the West Bromwich Albion job last month.

That has prompted the Swans board to bring an end to Williams' tenure, with chairman Andy Coleman stating that it was "a difficult decision and one that has not been taken lightly", and he leaves the club sitting 17th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Alan Sheehan will take charge of Swansea on an interim basis, but the club have confirmed that the hunt for a new head coach is already underway, and we looked at three names that should be under consideration.

Russell Martin

Of course, style of play is a key factor to consider for most clubs when deciding which manager to hire, but it is particularly important at Swansea, with supporters demanding a coach who can play the possession-based brand of football they have become known for over the years.

With that in mind, former head coach Martin could be the perfect candidate for the role, and as he is still appreciated by large sections of the fan base, he would likely be welcomed back to the Swansea.com Stadium with open arms.

Martin led the Swans to 15th and 10th-placed finishes respectively during his two years in charge at the club before departing last summer to take over at Southampton, who he guided to promotion to the Premier League last season.

The 39-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by the Saints in December after a poor start to life in the top flight, with many blaming his refusal to adapt his style of play for his downfall at St Mary's.

That would not necessarily be a problem for Swansea supporters, but given that Martin did publicly express his disappointment at the lack of backing he received at the club, he may have reservations about a potential return to South Wales.

David Wagner

Bringing back a former manager can often be a risky move, so if Swansea decide against trying to convince Martin to return, David Wagner could be a strong candidate.

Wagner has been out of management since being dismissed by Norwich City in May after his side suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat at Leeds United in the play-off semi-finals.

Despite guiding the club to a top six finish last season, it is fair to say that Wagner was not particularly popular among Canaries supporters, but many outside of Carrow Road felt that the 53-year-old was harshly treated.

In addition to his success at Norwich, Wagner has previously led Huddersfield Town to promotion to the Premier League, while he has also managed two big European clubs in Schalke and Young Boys, making him an attractive option for a Championship side.

Wagner has shown during his career that he can overachieve on a limited budget, whilst also delivering a team that plays an exciting brand of football, so he should certainly be on the Swans' list of targets.

Rob Edwards

Despite the disappointing end to his time at Luton, Rob Edwards should be another name under consideration by the Swansea board.

Edwards was sacked by the Hatters earlier this month after just over two years in charge at Kenilworth Road, departing with the club sitting just outside the Championship relegation zone.

There is no doubt that Edwards underachieved this season, but Luton's subsequent struggles under his successor, Matt Bloomfield, suggest that he may not necessarily have been the problem, and the 43-year-old will forever be remembered as the man who led the club to the Premier League for the first time in their history in 2023.

That achievement shows exactly what Edwards is capable of at Championship level, and having been able to refresh and recharge over the past month after leaving the Hatters, he will be keen to prove a point when he returns to management.

Given that Edwards made 15 international appearances for Wales during his playing career, his appointment would likely be well-received by Swans supporters, and he may feel that going in at a club with slightly lower expectations is the ideal way to help reignite his managerial career after a tough 12 months.