Paul Clement appointed as new Swansea manager

Swansea City have today announced the appointment of Paul Clement as the clubs new head coach a week after the sacking of Bob Bradley.

The 44-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal this afternoon and leaves his position as assistant manager at Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

Clement will be at tonight’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, but first team coach Alan Curtis is set to take charge of the Swans at Selhurst Park.

Joining Clement at the Liberty Stadium are Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi, who both join from Tottenham Hotspur.

Gibbs has been confirmed as assistant coach, with the 51-year-old leaving his role within Tottenham’s academy while he has previously worked as the No.2 at Reading, Leeds and Millwall. Halabi, meanwhile, has been named head of physical performance.

Halabi has also worked with Gibbs at Reading and Spurs, while he also spent time with Watford, Chelsea and Derby along with both England and Ireland’s national set ups.

He takes up the position vacated by Pierre Barrieu, who left the Swans following Bradley’s exit last week.

How the club announced Clement’s appointment.

As the former assistant manager of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, Clement arrives at Swansea with a wealth of experience at the highest level of football.

Most recently as Carlo Ancelotti’s right-hand man at Bayern Munich, Clement has also worked with the experienced Italian at Paris Saint-Germain, while his sole managerial role came in the Championship with Derby County.

Despite securing 14 wins in 33 matches in charge of Derby – drawing 12 games and losing just seven – Clement was relieved of his duties in February 2016.

Derby were in fifth place in the Championship at the time of Clement’s dismissal – just five points adrift of leaders Hull, whom they would eventually lose to in the play-off semi-final that season.

The 44-year-old will be tasked with guiding the Swans out of the relegation zone. They currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League, four points from safety.

This is undoubtedly his biggest managerial test but his appointment at the start of the transfer window will give him the opportunity to bring in new players.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has welcomed the appointment of Clement describing him as a “good fit’’ for the club.

“We are delighted with the appointment of Paul Clement as our new head coach,’’ Huw said in a statement.

“Paul has not only worked with some of Europe’s biggest football clubs, but also the very best players in the world.

“Swansea City’s strength over many years had been the quality of the football coached on the training field. That has always been at the forefront of our success.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Paul can not only help us regain that footballing belief, but also restore some much needed pride back into the football club.

“Everyone connected to the club is fully behind the appointment and we see this a typical Swansea City choice. It looks a good fit to get us back on track and provide one of the best young coaches in Europe with the chance to develop his own career and become a leading coach in his own right.

“I’m sure every Swans supporter, like me, would want to wish Paul the best of luck at the club and that he enjoys his time with us at Swansea.’’

 

 

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