Luke Williams | I want to excite the fans, coming back to Swansea City was irresistible

Luke Williams admitted the opportunity to return to Swansea City was “irresistible” and has vowed to deliver a team to excite supporters after being appointed as head coach.

The 43-year-old returns to the Swans following a successful period in charge of Notts County, who he led to promotion to the EFL last term following a record-breaking campaign.

Williams previously worked as assistant head coach in SA1 during the 2021-22 campaign, and is widely-respected and renowned as a coach who produces exciting, progressive, possession-based teams.

And, following discussions with chairman Andy Coleman and sporting director Paul Watson, he is eager to get down to work

“I want to bring goals, a lot of goals, and I have a fairly good track record with that,” he said.

“We need to be mean as well. A one-dimensional team is okay, but a real team is a team that attacks with the same vigour with which they defend.

“It’s going to be a tall order, we have to strive for something fantastic and we begin that task now.

 “At Notts County we managed to score the most goals in the country last season and we conceded the fourth least.

“I like my teams to try to attack a lot and to try to score a lot. At my previous club we had a great season and managed to get over the line somehow in the play-offs.

“I think the play-off campaign showed a side to the team that I love, which is the character, the relentless feeling that you won’t lose.

“This is something I want to bring here to try to create plenty of chances to score and try to be mean defensively as well.

“The only thing I can promise is that I’m going to work very, very hard. There’s no way that I’m going to take for granted the position I have at a club like this.

“I’m going to work and I’m going to give all the energy I have – that’s the promise to the supporters.

“Only a club of this magnitude with this quality could pull me away from an amazing job.

“I am in a place now that is so incredible, it was irresistible.”

Williams has worked at a number of clubs across his long coaching career, including Brighton & Hove Albion, Swindon Town, Bristol City, MK Dons and Notts County.

But his start in coaching came following the knee injury that ended his playing career prematurely, with Williams holding jobs working in a warehouse and driving minibuses alongside his efforts to get his breakthrough on the training field.

And he believes that experience ingrained in him a hunger and appetite that has never left him.

“You know genuinely, so many young guys go into football and they have little else, and if football is taken away from you there is a period of your life where you’re lost,” he said.

“Coaching was a way to make a living or, at the time, to sparsely make a living, to go out and try to do something positive and make a career.

“Then I guess I showed up enough and I tried hard enough that an opportunity came about, then another opportunity and another, and here I am today.  

“I heard the expression there’s no hunger in paradise and loading lorries at 5am in the winter months is not paradise, so then if you start to achieve more you don’t take it for granted.

“The more you achieve, the more you want to achieve, so I’m hoping the start that I had and the journey I had will stand me in good stead to try and continue to appreciate and strive for more.”    

Ryan Harley and George Lawtey have followed Williams from Notts County and join as assistant head coach and first-team coach analyst respectively.

Alan Sheehan – who impressively led the Swans during his stint in caretaker charge – remains part of the coaching staff, and Williams praised the job the Irishman has done, and is looking forward to working with him.

“I’m really blessed to have him. What a job he’s done, and he’s shown incredible strength of character,” said Williams.

“I’m sure he learned a lot of things about himself, like maybe he didn’t know how good he was and how much he can achieve and cope with.

“I must be very lucky to inherit someone like that who is on the staff already. Of course, he’ll have a connection with the players, and he will help me with that as well, especially some of the new players who I didn’t see before.

"I’m looking forward to working with him. We’ve had a brilliant conversation and I’m very, very lucky.”

Williams is set to be in charge of the Swans for the first time for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Morecambe.

It’s an experience he is excited at the prospect of, particularly when he reflects back on memorable victories from his first stint at the club.

“It’s an incredible thing. It’s going to be quite a moment,” he said.

“I’ve experienced some fantastic moments at this stadium before and to be back is just incredible. It’s an incredible feeling.

“When I look back, I think the derby… I’ve never experienced anything like it. I got goosebumps and the hairs stood up every five minutes in that game.

“After that game, I was a wreck, but it was a beautiful thing. I never will forget that, and I hope we’re involved in more victories like that.”