Caretaker boss Alan Sheehan says he will reject any offer to become permanent Swansea City manager if he believes the club is divided.
Sheehan has put together a three-game unbeaten run since taking over last month from the sacked Luke Williams.
And he watched his side chalk up a hard-fought 1-0 win at home to play-off chasing Middlesbrough on Saturday, thanks to a goal by South Korean attacker Ji-Sung Eom.
Sheehan confirmed discussions with the club’s hierarchy regarding his future but made it clear he will not accept the job unless he believes the club are heading in the right direction at the start of his reign.
The Swans have scored four goals and conceded none during his time at the helm, including two impressive home victories. Such form has led to discussions over whether he should stay in command.
“It’s not just ‘do you want the job?’ ‘Oh yes please’—it doesn’t work like that,” he explained.
“I need to know everything. What’s the plan? Where do we want to go? I’ve been in situations before where opportunities have come my way.
“I want to win, I want to be successful. But if the ownership, fans, and players aren’t on the same page, then you’re fighting against the current. This club needs to be successful.”
When asked if he would turn the job down if the conditions weren’t right, Sheehan was clear: “Yeah, potentially. We all need to be on the same page.”
Reflecting on the victory over Middlesbrough, he praised his players’ efforts.
“I’m very proud of the players today,” he said.
“We showed a different side to us again… it was probably halfway between the Blackburn and Preston performances. To go in at half-time 1-0 up with nine shots to their two was great.”
“I think the first 25 minutes were a bit frantic… but I’m really proud of what the players are doing right now.”
Sheehan also addressed Swansea’s defensive improvements since taking charge, crediting goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson.
“Obviously, we’ve got Martyn Margetson, who’s exceptional,” he said.
However, the caretaker boss revealed a setback for Swansea, confirming a significant injury to Myles Peart-Harris.
“He’s going to be out for a good while with a back injury,” Sheehan said. “He’s going back to Brentford to be assessed, but the scans weren’t generous. I’m very disappointed for him.”
With Swansea’s recent upturn in form and speculation over his future, Sheehan will now look ahead to the next two games before holding further discussions with the club’s hierarchy.
“I’ll have a conversation at the end of these next two games,” he revealed.