Exclusive: Don Goodman reacts to Swansea City, Alan Sheehan situation | OneFootball

Goodman believes Sheehan should be viewed as a strong candidate for the job.

Swansea City’s caretaker boss Alan Sheehan has done a fantastic job since taking over after the sacking of Luke Williams in the middle of February.

Sheehan, who also previously took charge of the Swans for a brief spell last season, has no permanent managerial experience, yet has eased the Welsh outfit’s relegation fears and lifted them up into the top half of the Championship table.

Such is the job he has done in recent weeks, that he is being monitored by several other second tier sides.

One of those is Portsmouth, who are believed to see the 38-year-old as a potential successor to John Mousinho, although there are thought to be no plans to replace him at present.

Don Goodman believes Swansea need to tie Sheehan down

With the success that Sheehan has enjoyed in recent weeks, it is no surprise that he has attracted attention from elsewhere in the division.

The market for young and upcoming managers is beginning to grow similarly fierce to what it is for players, with every club trying to get hold of the next big thing.

While it’s far too early to say whether Sheehan has that potential to go on and become a successful manager over a longer period of time, the immediate signs are certainly positive for Swansea.

With that in mind, Don Goodman believes the Swans should look to secure his future and consider him as a candidate for the job on a permanent basis.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, the EFL pundit said: “I’d be interested to know if Alan Sheehan wants to be a head coach or would be happy going as part of a backroom team somewhere else.

“Certainly, you would imagine that the Swansea job and the way it’s gone would have whetted his appetite for believing that he’s good enough to be a head coach.

“So, for me, if I were Swansea, I’d be looking at that and thinking ‘maybe we should tie him down.’ It’s been a brilliant end to the season, but we saw that before under Russell Martin where they rattled off a load of wins at the back end of his final season in charge and it proved a little bit fruitless the following year.

“It depends very much on Sheehan, but if I were Swansea then, without doubt, I would be thinking he’d be a good candidate for the job.”

Sheehan’s future could hinge on his own aspirations

As Goodman alluded to, it’s certainly possible that Sheehan may not even want to pursue permanent managerial opportunities.

We have seen plenty of coaches in the past who would happily work as an assistant or as part of a backroom team, rather than become the man faced with the spotlight and the pressure.

If that ends up being the case for Sheehan at present, then it seems a fairly foregone conclusion that he will take a step back once again at the Liberty Stadium, and return to his coaching duties rather than moving elsewhere when a new man is appointed.

However, the situation could easily change if Sheehan has now decided that he wants a shot at management on a full-time basis.

If the former Luton and Notts County defender has managerial aspirations, then it could well come down to whether Swansea are willing to give him a chance or not.

Having been with the Swans since the summer of 2023, the Irishman knows the club, and has plenty of experience working with this squad of players.

As a result, he could easily be seen as the ideal option for the Welsh side. However, if the club are reluctant to offer him that opportunity, then it may not be out of the question for Sheehan to move on to a club that will.