Monk Has Most Attention To Detail I’ve Ever Seen

Swansea City winger Nathan Dyer says that manager and ex team-mate Garry Monk has the most ‘attention to detail’ he’s ever seen.

Dyer, who had played alongside former skipper Garry Monk since he joined the club five years ago, says it was ‘awkward at first’ when the defender was promoted to take over as caretaker boss in February, but it’s now a situation that Dyer has got used to and enjoys following his official managerial appointment.

A 2-0 defeat away at West Ham United in lacklustre fashion was seen as the last draw by the club`s chairman Huw Jenkins and the board of directors. With just a few days before hosting Cardiff City in the fierce South Wales derby at the Liberty Stadium, Monk was asked to step in and take over control of the squad.

To say Monk was thrown into the deep end by Huw Jenkins and co. is an understatement to say the least. He had just a day or two of training to lift the players and prepare them for a game they simply had to win, not just because it was the derby, but they were starting to slide down the table and they couldn`t afford a team below them, not to mention, Cardiff City gaining three points on them.

The Swans won it 3-0 and in emphatic fashion. Monk guided the Swans to safety with a lack of consistency along the way you could say, but Swansea City saw enough to give him the job permanently following a last day 1-0 defeat against Southampton.

Apart from temporary roles, Monk is surely the first manager to make his debut in the English top flight. Who else would take the risk? Swansea City would, and you can understand why. Fortunately for Monk, there is still a number of players at the club who he played with consistently for a few years at least. Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, Ashley Williams, Angel Rangel and Leon Britton to name a few.

He has been influential as captain, on and off the pitch and there`s been a lot of talk about Monk`s excellent relationship with the players inside the dressing room – despite having less and less involvement in the first team since their Premier League debut three years ago.

That`s no doubt down to the personality of the man who has so evidently continued that rapport with the players who want themselves as well as their new boss to succeed.

Nathan Dyer told the telegraph in a recent interview that Garry Monk has always had an “open door policy” and been “someone you can talk to”.

Describing what it was like to work under Monk rather than with him, he said:

“Strange,’

“No, at the start it was a bit weird, a bit awkward.
“Obviously the way you approach and speak to each other. We always have that respect since I have known him and obviously now he`s the gaffer and you listen to what he says. He`s there to give you advice.

It`s been brilliant, to be honest, and I`m really happy for him. I don`t think he thought it (management) would come this quickly but he`s taken it in his stride. His attention to detail is the most I have seen from any manager.”

“I can`t tell you all the secrets, can I, but there have been team meetings in which the objectives for the campaign have been discussed between the players.

“But then he`s always been someone you can talk to, he was like that when he was captain.

It`s interesting to hear about Garry Monk`s attention to detail, more so than former manager Brendan Rodgers who is also known for his preparation work and planning. After all, he`s had plenty of time to prepare for management following his early retirement aged just 21.

Garry`s right hand man, Pep Clotet, is also known for his attention to detail and very much likes to prepare and plan – knowing all there is to know about the opposition. Together, they sound like an effective management duo.

Neither have turned 40 yet, with Clotet actually slightly older than Monk aged 37, but with experience to gain and plenty more learning to do – they`ll only get better and looking at the impact they`ve made already, the future looks bright for Swansea City.

Article by Come On You Swans.com