Swansea City Championship Odds: Long-term project for Williams in Wales

Swansea City have appointed some talented managers over the last few years, and they head into the 2024/25 campaign with Luke Williams at the helm. He impressed at Notts County, getting them up from the National League but couldn’t resist the lure of the Welsh club midway through the last campaign. 

He came in to replace Michael Duff after his slightly disappointing spell in charge, and now Swansea are looking to push back towards the play-offs after a 14th-place finish last term. Below you can find my Swansea City Championship Odds, as I predict how the Welsh side will fare in the upcoming campaign.

Last Season: 14th

Top Scorer: Jamal Lowe, Jerry Yates (9)

Transfers In: Goncalo Franco - Moreirense (£1.8m), Ji-sung Eom - Gwangju FC (£800k), Zan Vipotnik - Bordeaux (free), Lawrence Vigouroux - Burnley (free).

Transfers Out: Nathan Wood - Southampton (£3m), Przemyslaw Placheta - Oxford (free), Nathanael Ogbeta - Plymouth (free), Jerry Yates - Derby (loan). 

First Game: Middlesbrough (A)

Prediction: 13th

Championship Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Championship Odds page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices.

After two failed play-off campaigns following relegation, Swansea have regressed to the middle of the Championship table. Their 14th-place finish last season was very much middle of the road, and it must be said that replacing Russell Martin with Michael Duff wasn’t a smart idea. I actually rate Duff very highly as a manager, but his style completely contrasts with Martin’s focus on keeping the ball. 

As a result, and given the squad at his disposal, it was probably the right decision for Swans to part way with Duff, who is now aiming for promotion from League 1 with Huddersfield Town. Meanwhile, Swansea appear to have found a better fit in the form of Luke Williams. He has a brilliant coaching background, but is also focused on keeping the ball, just as Martin was. 

He’s also extremely likeable as a character in the game, and less likely to be tempted away from south Wales as some as his predecessors. His work at Notts County was certainly impressive, but this is a challenge two tiers upwards, and one he will have to rise to this term. 

Football Odds 

The squad he has at his disposal is certainly capable at this level, although I think mid-table is still where they belong. There’s certainly some positives, with Matt Grimes still one of the best playmakers in the Championship and Harry Darling a decent ball-playing centre-back. Oli Cooper is progressing well and at 24 should now emerge as a top performer, while there’s a decent amount of excitement surrounding Ji-sung Eom, who at 22 has attacking unpredictability that could work well for Williams.

From my point of view, the board needs to offer slightly more investment to fill out this squad with quality players that can achieve great things at this level. As it stands, there are 19 senior professionals at the club and not all of them fit the way Williams wants to play. 

I’d also implore them to focus more on youth, and add to the likes of Josh Thomas and Sam Parker, who have bright futures ahead of them. It feels as though Swansea need a bit of patience, but this relationship between themselves and Williams is likely to be a profitable one. However, as things stand and with a lack of serious investment, I think it will be another season spent in mid-table for the Swans.