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The Total Sport Column: Time To Hand Williams The Reins
It's been a busy month for Swindon Town. Since taking to the helm temporarily, Luke Williams has overseen two wins, with eight goals scored and five conceded. Total Sport columnist Chris Linnell presents his case for the Robins' number two getting the job full-time...
Like North Wiltshire’s answer to Pep Guardiola – only with a more impressive beard - now is the perfect time, if any, for Luke Williams to step up from his backroom role at the County Ground and spearhead the style of football for which Swindon Town have become so highly regarded, and he has been so highly praised.
Having been at the County Ground since the start of the 2013-14 season, the young coach has grown to embody everything the club stands for – both on and off the pitch. In fact, Lee Power has hailed him as the chief architect behind The Robin’s style of play, while Town players have regularly commended him for the impact he has made on the training ground.
Only recently did the Town chairman refer to Williams as “the Golden egg” of the club. “He is a fantastic coach,” he said during a fans phone-in on BBC Wiltshire, “There is obviously a difference between being a coach and a manager, but Luke has certainly got all the ingredients to become a top manager.” The question is, will he be brave enough to hand Williams his first opportunity as head coach?
Of course, this is not the first time the former Brighton Academy coach has been touted for the Town hot seat. Just over two months ago, following the departure of manager Mark Cooper, he was widely tipped to take the reins. However, with the club opting for fan favourite Martin Ling, he continued his position as second in command.
According to Power himself, there remain one or two other possibilities on the radar as he continues his search for Ling’s successor. However, with no standout candidates in the offing, it might just be the right time to give Williams the senior role on a full-time basis, at least until the end of the season. Come June, the powers that be – excuse the pun - can then reassess the club’s standing.
It is difficult to deny that Williams’ brief spell in charge as caretaker boss has seen the team spirit among the squad reach unprecedented levels. For two weeks running, the players have battled to overturn a seemingly unassailable two-goal deficit, before going on to win three points. This has seen the caretaker boss claim valuable victories over both Southend United and Crewe Alexandra.
To add to this, Williams has seen a staggering total of thirteen goals scored during his two games as caretaker of the club. Indeed, in just two ties at the County Ground, the club have netted on eight occasions, while conceding a further five. For regular attendees at SN1, it really has been an excitement-filled fortnight.
As touched upon earlier, he has built quite a rapport with the playing staff. There is a risk that promotion to a head coach role on a permanent-basis could cause him to lose this relationship. However, if successfully conveyed to a higher level, Williams’ bond with the players could have instrumental benefits. One would argue that the effects of this are already visible.
As several fans were quick to point out following victory over Crewe, the improvement in Yaser Kasim’s performance, particularly in the second half, was truly remarkable The Iraqi is a player known for his bond with Williams - following their time spent together at Brighton - and while he has been criticised by the SN1 faithful in recent times, he has been given a new lease of life throughout the past fortnight.
There is, of course, the tremendous risk involved when giving a coach, with almost no experience of being number one, his first opportunity in management. Being the figurehead at a club like Swindon brings its own pressures – those that can largely be avoided as a member of the wider coaching staff – and we are still yet to witness Williams’ ability to handle these testing scenarios.
However, the changes made to the club’s backroom set-up have certainly swung the role in his favour. Where it may not have been the case prior to Ling’s arrival, there is now a support network available at the club to fully assist Williams in his first head-coaching role. With Power appointing a technical director, in the form of Seamus Bradley, a chief scout, Sam Jewell – son of former Wigan boss Paul – and an additional coach, Ross Embleton, the assistance is there if required.
Perhaps most importantly, the County Ground faithful have grown to adore Williams’ since his arrival two summers ago. Luke’s influence behind the scenes is perhaps the worst kept secret at the club and, just like the players and the press, the fans are well aware of the impact he has made in such a short period of time. Having built this affinity with the supporters, a poor run of results is unlikely to alter this opinion, giving the youngster a safe environment to impress and succeed in his first managerial role.
Chris Linnell is a life-long Swindon Town fan and editor of The Boot Room. You can follow Chris on Twitter here.
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