Liverpool vs Swansea: Leon Britton claims he doesn't want full-time Swans job - even if he pulls off win at Anfield

The former midfielder is not looking to take on the role permanently

Jim Daly
Swansea
Sunday 24 December 2017 16:44 GMT
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Leon Britton is not interested in the full-time role at Swansea
Leon Britton is not interested in the full-time role at Swansea (Getty 2017)

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Leon Britton insists he won't put himself forward for the Swansea job full-time, even if he manages to negotiate a win at Anfield on Boxing Day.

The Swans club captain, who has played over 500 games since their days in League Two, took charge of his first game as caretaker against Crystal Palace after Paul Clement was given the boot last week.

He oversaw a 1-1 draw in which Jordan Ayew equalised Luka Milivojevic’s second half penalty; a result that still leave Swansea bottom of the Premier League table, four points from safety. It was only the third game in their last sixteen where they managed to avoid defeat.

A more daunting prospect than Roy Hodgson’s Eagles awaits Britton on Boxing Day with a trip to face Liverpool on Merseyside, but he isn’t getting carried away in the hot seat.

"Hopefully we'll get some good results, that's the main thing," he said after the draw at the Liberty. "But in terms of my position and wanting the job full-time it remains the same; even if we were to win the next two or three games - if I was in charge - I'd still be telling the club that I am not ready to do it full-time yet.

"I'm here for the club to help them in the short-term. How short or long that is I don't know at the moment, it is just day by day. I think the main thing is the club gets the right person, whether that's in the next few days, next few weeks or however long it is I'll be here to help the team and the club as much as I can.”

The 35-year-old - who admitted he hasn’t spoken to the club’s owners since taking the role - says it was a "strange” experience being the other side of the fence from a bunch of players he is used to talking team-mates, and while injury rules him out of contention he isn’t sure he would pick himself anyway.

He added: “They're not calling me gaffer yet, I'm not that strict. I'm here as caretaker, if I was full-time manager it might be a bit different. It is a bit strange but the players are so understanding.

Leon Britton oversaw his first game in charge at Swansea
Leon Britton oversaw his first game in charge at Swansea (Getty)

“It's strange because the boot is on the other foot. I've sat through team-talks so many times but there you are in front of the group speaking, whether it's the pre-match meating or in the changing room before the player go out. I'm a little bit used to it in terms of being the club captain and speaking to the players in the huddle so it is similar but it's a different perspective pre-game going through tactics and the game plan

“Player-managers are not something that happens every day. A while ago it seemed to happen more frequently but I don't think we've seen one for a long time. It would be difficult to be the caretaker manager and be on the pitch as well because I'd be concentrating on the game, I couldn't think about telling them to make substitutions it would be very hard.

“But I am injured at the moment anyway so that rules me out of team selection.”

Whoever does get the job permanently - with recently sacked duo Frank de Boer and Slaven Bilic both linked - will inherit a squad who have the ability and desire to drag themselves out of the mire, believes Britton.

“There is still the desire, even though where are where we are,” he added. “If any potential managers were watching [against Palace] that they will see that the players are still fighting, giving everything they have got. If it was the other way round they might be thinking ‘I don't fancy that’.

“I still think it's a great opportunity for someone out there if we can get things right on the pitch. It’s a very, very good club and that performance against Palace was very encouraging.”

Britton will probably have to do without Roque Mesa at Anfield - he hobbled off with a knee injury against Palace - was well as Ki Sung-yueng and Wilfried Bony while there are also and question marks over Leroy Fer and he admits the timings are not great as his struggling side battle for every precious points heading into the second half of the season.

He added: “We have got a few injuries that have come at the wrong time with so many games in a short space of time but that's why you have the squad. The players who have not been playing have to be ready and focused to step in. It might be enforced changes of changes to freshen things up during this busy time.”

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