Swansea City 1, Watford 0: Swans right to dilute my role and bring in experienced boss, admits Curtis
Interim boss Alan Curtis admitted that the club were right to bring in an experienced manager and dilute his role after guiding Swansea to a priceless victory in his final game in sole command last night.
Centre-half Ashley Williams proved the match-winner with a first-half header in front of the watching Francesco Guidolin, who starts work today as Swansea’s head coach, working alongside Curtis, until the end of the season.
Maximum points moved the Swans above Newcastle and out of the relegation zone to 17th place, while Watford remain 12th despite chalking up their fourth successive defeat, having taken just one point from the last 15 on offer.
“It’s something we need, an experienced leader. As a management team we have done as well as we possibly could and as good as anybody. We have put up some good performances but unfortunately the results haven’t been there,” said Curtis.
“If he [Guidolin] can get the performances, an experienced manager can eke out the results as well and that’s what we’ll be looking for. I think he will have seen what a really good team we are and there is a lot of ability in the camp.”
Swansea skipper Williams scored his first ever Premier League goal at the Liberty Stadium after 27 minutes as he planted a firm header past Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes from Ki Sung-yeung’s enticing cross.
Watford, who last night confirmed the signing of Morocco forward Nordin Amrabat from Spanish side Malaga, saw second-half cries for a penalty as Williams grappled with striker Odion Ighalo waved away, while Jose Manuel Jurado rifled wide late on.
Swansea came agonisingly close to a second goal in stoppage time, only for substitute Bafetimbi Gomis to strike Gomes’ right-hand post after initially losing control of the ball.