Further Ainsworth Praise for Sousa "Can’t judge anyone on four months work...a phenomenal manager...Every player improved"

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Wales on Sunday/Blair Wood: Gareth Ainsworth: ‘Swans will be stronger next season with Sousa’
- CHAMPIONSHIP rivals beware – Swansea City will be even stronger with Paulo Sousa at the helm next season.
- That’s the view of QPR player-coach Gareth Ainsworth, who believes the Portuguese legend is exactly the man to pick up where Roberto Martinez left off and lead the club’s Premiership push.
- Having both played for Sousa and worked as part of his coaching team, Ainsworth is perfectly placed to comment on what he will bring to the Liberty Stadium.
- And, worryingly for the rest of the division, he believes the two-time Champions League winner can take the Swans to a whole new level.
- Despite lasting just four months and winning only seven of his 26 games at Rangers, Ainsworth insists Sousa was a huge hit in London.
- With all the politics going on at the club – and claims that Rangers joint owner Flavio Briatore was interfering with team selection – Ainsworth said results on the pitch didn’t reflect the impact Sousa was having off it.
- The former Cardiff winger believes QPR’s loss will soon be Swansea’s gain.
- And he, for one, certainly isn’t relishing the prospect of coming up against his old boss next season.

- “No stone is left unturned with Paulo and it’s bad news for everyone else in the league,” he told Wales on Sunday when asked about the appointment.
- “It means Swansea will be just as good as last year, if not better.
- “I always thought Paulo would be a big success in British football. It looks like Swansea will be the ones to benefit from it.
- “You certainly can’t judge him on what happened at QPR. You can’t judge anyone on four months work.
“It’s the worst situation for any manager to be in and you need at least a season to get your ideas across.
- “It takes time to get everyone singing from your sheet and Paulo never got that with us.
“I’m sure that won’t be the case at Swansea and he could make them serious challengers.”

- If Swansea are to be promotion contenders next season, Sousa – who has been linked with a move for Dutch striker Rob Braber – will first have to win the battle to keep some of the club’s star players. Failing that, he will have to use his wealth of contacts to find replacements.
- With top-scorer Jason Scotland already the subject of a firm offer from Premiership new boys Burnley and the likes of Angel Rangel and Ferrie Bodde being heavily linked with moves to the top flight, the Portuguese certainly has a fight on his hands.
- For many it’s almost impossible to believe he will inherit the exact squad Martinez left behind.

- But Ainsworth has warned those considering a move not to be too hasty in leaving the Liberty. The much-travelled 36-year-old believes they could all benefit in ways they hadn’t even imagined by spending time under Sousa’s stewardship.
- “I know there is talk about some of their big names leaving,” he said.
- “But, if they stay, the players are in for an absolute treat with Paulo.
- “Roberto Martinez has introduced them to the continental flavour and Paulo is definitely the man to keep it going. He knows how football should be played and, with the players they have, he will deliver.

- “Paulo is a phenomenal manager to work for. Some of the ideas he brings in are just fantastic and the way he transformed some players was amazing.
- “Every player improved under Paulo and I learnt more from him in four months than I did in years with other managers.
- “He sees things other managers don’t and he knows how to get the best out of individuals.
- “It’s just a shame we didn’t get to work with him for longer because he is a really nice, genuine guy and a pleasure to work with.
- Without a doubt it’s a great move for Swansea and they are very lucky to have him”

- Added Ainsworth: “I can’t tell you too much about his style because Paulo always likes to keep things close to his chest.
- “It would be unfair for me to reveal his secrets.
- “But what I can say is that his techniques added to people’s games. When you work with a legend like that, you can’t help but be inspired.
- “You don’t win two Champions League medals for nothing. Paulo has got the lot.”
- Even if some of Swansea’s big names do leave, Ainsworth is adamant the club’s fans shouldn’t be too worried.
- Pointing out Sousa’s glittering playing career included spells at clubs like Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon, Inter Milan and Espanyol, he knows the former midfielder has important contacts throughout Europe.
- Ainsworth believes that, like Martinez, Sousa will be able to turn unknown players into stars in Wales.
- And, with lingual talents to match his footballing skills, he has no doubts the 38-year-old will be able to get the best out of the multi-cultural dressing room he is likely to create.

- “The thing about Paulo is that he is fluent in four different languages,” he explained.
- “That is a big help in the modern game, especially in the transfer market.
- “He has got great contacts around the world but there’s no point bringing in foreign talents if you can’t communicate with them. I’ve seen it before and it’s a big problem.
- “Paulo will go round and happily speak in Spanish one minute, English the next and then French.
- “It means he can get across exactly what he wants to say and everyone benefits from it.
- “He is a very intelligent and thoughtful man with a huge knowledge of the game.
- “That would be wasted if he couldn’t share it with the whole dressing room.” Wales on Sunday


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