It may turn out to have been ultimately the right decision, at least in terms of the on-field performances in defence, but ultimately no one comes out of Bob Bradley being fired from Swansea City with any credit.
Looking at it on the surface it is a worrying sign of the times that it has been largely greeted with indifference that the Swansea City board, the very people who appointed Bradley in the first place in October, decided that 85 days and 11 matches was enough time to pass judgement on him.
Yes, there were some serious concerns with a team joint-bottom of the table, especially a defence that Bradley appeared to have little idea how, at least with the resources he had at his disposal, to tighten up.
Swansea shipped in 29 goals in his time in charge, seven of which came in his final two games against Middlesbrough and West Ham United.
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Those were the games that sealed his fate as it is all well being torn apart defensively by the big boys, but when Middlesbrough hit the goal trail against you then you know you are in trouble.
Middlesbrough had only scored three goals in their previous six games, yet won 3-0 at home to Swansea.
Meanwhile, West Ham have only scored more than two goals in a game once this season, in August in an Europa League qualifier against Slovenian side Domzale, yet they scored four in their 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium, the manner of the goals bordering on the embarrassing.
The body language spoke volumes with the final goal when Andy Carroll was given oceans of space to rifle a shot at the far post.
The Swansea players had effectively thrown in the towel.
But Bradley can rightly argue that these were players he had inherited and that he had not had a transfer window to at least try to mould things to his liking.
If all had been rosy at Swansea he would not have got the job in the first place as Francesco Guidolin would not have been moved on.
Swansea had only four points from their first seven games, not exactly form that screamed that Bradley should be taking them instantly up the table.
What Swansea’s behaviour highlights is the cult of short-termism that runs in the Premier League and in modern football.
Swansea could have given Bradley time to rebuild the side, but staying in the top flight with all the financial benefits of being there is too important to take the risk.
Swansea still having 20 games to save themselves from the drop, and probably need at least 24 or 25 points to do that, given the meagre 12 they are on right now. Tough but not impossible.
But is there any guarantee that the board, who picked Bradley, and Guidolin before him, can get it right this time?
Their punishment for getting it wrong again will be dealing with the financial implications of relegation if it happens.
Their decisions, including selling players such as Ashley Williams, as well as managerial choices, are why they are in this mess.
Bradley may have not been the right man to lead a relegation fight with a struggling side in one of Europe’s most competitive league’s, but in this era of immediacy this whole affair has had a depressing feel to it.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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