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Curse of the Swansea City managers?

Swansea fans all know of the infamous curse cast on players leaving the club ‘for better things’. We’ve seen it in recent years with the likes of Dorus de Vries, Darren Pratley, Scott Sinclair and, most recently perhaps, Wilfried Bony.

But what about the managers? Pretty much every Swans manager in the past decade has left the club for the greener grass of another team, but did it actually work out for them?

Let’s look at what each man did for Swansea and, most importantly, what they are doing now, in an attempt to determine whether they suffered the full force of the curse…

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Roberto Martinez (February 2007 - June 2009)

The Spaniard introduced the much-loved easy-on-the-eye passing football to the club, and took Swansea into the Championship as champions of League One in 2008. The former club captain was hugely popular with fans, which made his departure for Wigan in 2009 a very sour affair.

Since then Martinez has established himself as a successful manager in English football. In May 2013, after four steady(ish) seasons and an FA Cup victory, he left Wigan and headed to Everton.

He is still with the Toffees at the right end of the Premier League table, after a pretty poor 2014/15 campaign. But generally seems to be doing pretty well.

Verdict: He’s had his unfortunate moments, but seems to have shrugged off any curse.

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Paulo Sousa (June 2009 - July 2010)

A brief stop in Swansea for the snappy dressing Portuguese manager, formerly winning cups as a player with Juventus, Dortmund and Inter Milan. While his style of defensive football resulted in too many bore-draws, he took the Swans to their highest league finish for 27 years.

After only one season he left Swansea, moving to Leicester City in July 2010. However that October, after less than three months in charge, he was sacked for a poor start to the season (I guess they got fed up of all the 0-0s too…)

In the last five years he has dabbled with clubs such as Videoton, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Basel, but is now in charge of Fiorentina, who currently sit at the top of the Serie A table. Perhaps he will find more success in Italy?

Verdict: Initially cursed, but maybe now on the road to success.

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Brendan Rodgers (July 2010 - June 2012)

Swansea fans couldn’t believe their luck when Brendan Rodgers lifted them through the Championship table, with win after win and a host of exciting new players. Full of intriguing one liners and a never-say-die attitude, Rodgers steered Swansea into the Premier League, then kept them there the following season - with some style.

However, at the end of that enthralling Premier League season, Rodgers abruptly upped and left, taking backroom staff and Joe Allen with him, to the disgruntlement of Swans fans.

His time with Liverpool perhaps lasted longer than it should have. He had a positive start, but an array of silly purchases, no trophies, poor league position and lack of wins saw him sacked eight games in to this season.

Verdict: Cursed.

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Michael Laudrup (June 2012 - February 2014)

An exceptional star in his playing days, Swans fans couldn’t believe their luck when he arrived in South Wales in June 2012. And he continued where Rodgers left off, guiding the club to their highest Premier League finish, as well as a League Cup victory and an exciting Europa League campaign the following season.

After a string of poor results and an attitude to match, Laudrup was sacked one blustery evening in February 2014.

He headed east and joined Qatar Stars League champions Lekhwiyain in June 2014, but didn’t renew his contract after the single season. He is currently without a club.

Verdict: Cursed.