Michael Beale 'did a really great job' at Sunderland, says Swansea boss

Swansea City boss Luke Williams has said Michael Beale did ‘a really great job’ at Sunderland as he prepares to bring his side to the Stadium of Light.

It will be Sunderland’s first match since Beale was sacked and replaced on an interim basis by Mike Dodds.

The former Rangers boss lasted just 12 matches on Wearside, losing half of them and winning just four, but Williams says he was impressed by Beale’s work at Sunderland.

"I think he’s a really good manager so I don’t think it can be good news for us,” Williams said. 

“If they improve [even more] now it’s a problem because they are already pretty good and he’s a really good coach and a really good manager.

“I think, from what I’ve seen, he’s done a really great job. I know the standard is very high in the Championship to keep your job, and I know the expectation can be really high and make it difficult.

“I don’t think it’s someone who did such a bad job with the team that they are all over the place. I think that’s really not true at all.

“If a new manager does even better and improves them in five days then it’s going to be even more tough for us than we anticipated.

“I think it’s hard to know a few things like set-up in the formation and positions of players, what they will do from restarts, because maybe there are new ideas.

“We know the squad they have at this stage of the season, we know what the players can do for them, key threats and so on. We have some information that won’t change.”

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