'Work to do' in Swans' summer of change - Williams

Luke WilliamsImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
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Swansea City head coach Luke Williams has warned his side there is “a lot of work” to come as he prepares to overhaul the squad this summer.

The Swans finished this season 14th in the Championship, with Williams steering them away from a relegation battle following his arrival from Notts County in January.

With several players now set to leave – and Williams targeting “a lot” of signings – Swansea are braced for an off-season of change.

“If anyone felt there wasn’t work to do, they must be crazy,” said Williams.

“A lot of work [is needed]. If we're not prepared to work hard after a very average season, we're in the wrong place mentally.”

Williams expects confirmation of Swansea’s retained list to “be public knowledge very soon”, and the list of players departing could be a long one.

Jamie Paterson and Liam Walsh are out of contract this summer as things stand, while Carl Rushworth, Bashir Humphreys, Harrison Ashby, Charlie Patino, Charles Sagoe Jr and Jamal Lowe are coming to the end of loan spells.

Asked how many signings he wants to make, Williams added: “We have a lot of players to bring in, for sure.

“We’ve come a long way from the beginning of my reign here. We take the ball off the opposition pretty well and we’re able to build up well with the ball and get to the final third but we need to find more solutions to scoring goals.”

Swansea scored 59 goals from their 46 games this season, and Saturday’s final match – a 1-0 home defeat by Millwall – illustrated their shortcomings.

The Swans dominated possession but failed to muster a shot on target until Matt Grimes’ missed penalty in the second half.

"This is another example of why we need to improve, this was a winnable game for us,” Williams said.

“We need to be more clinical, concede less chances, create more, it's as simple as that because much of the performance suggested we should be able to do that, but we didn't. We fluffed our lines.”

Asked if challenging for a top-six finish next season was a realistic aim, Williams added: “I’m determined to do everything to try to make that a reality.

“There's going to be a lot of things we have to get right to make that possible and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

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