Swansea have sacked head coach Alan Sheehan after six months in charge.
The Championship club’s hierarchy felt a change was needed after a poor start to the season, with the Swans currently on a four-game losing run.
Swansea were beaten 4-1 at home by Ipswich Town on Saturday, leaving them sitting in 18th place.
A club statement said “results and performances do not meet the standards expected at this stage of the season”.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Swansea and Ipswich.
Swansea added that the search for Sheehan’s replacement is already under way.
Sheehan had two spells in interim charge of Swansea before taking over permanently in April.
Swansea City owners Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen said: “Alan has been instrumental in helping improve the club through two periods of time.
“Alan has a tireless work ethic, an honest approach and a positive attitude. He has put his full effort into the job on behalf of the club.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Alan for all of his hard work during his time at Swansea City. We wish Alan and his family all the best for the future.”
‘Sheehan sacking met with sadness, but inevitable’
Sky Sports’ EFL Editor Simeon Gholam:
Sheehan was a genuinely popular figure at Swansea and there was real desire there among the fan base for it to work out for him.
You can usually gauge that feeling from the social media reaction to a sacking, and when Sheehan’s was announced there was a genuine sadness among Swans supporters that his two-and-a-half year spell at the club was coming to an end.
He took control at a challenging time at the back end of last season and impressive results following the departure of Luke Williams saw him appointed permanently.
This season started reasonably well enough with the club ending September just on the outskirts of the play-off places, but just one win in seven since has led to what seemed an inevitable departure.
Ultimately of the four wins they have mustered this season, three came against the current bottom three in the league, and the other away at Blackburn – who at the time were moping around the depths themselves.
Whether the quality of the squad matches the expectations of the owners remains to be seen. But in such an open Championship season it is no surprise that a few have their eyes on a sneaky play-off push, and the Swansea hierarchy clearly now feel the time is right to roll the dice.
