Trundle backing Swansea to improve on last season’s showing

Swansea legend Lee Trundle has acknowledged the Swans’ tough opening fixtures for 2017-18, but feels the club are in a good place to better their 15th place finish last season.

Trundle, who last played for Swansea seven years ago, is now a club ambassador and was speaking after returning from Thailand where he helped England win the Senior World Cup alongside former greats Barry Hayles and Jamie Cureton.

The 2017-18 Premier League fixture list was released earlier this week and the Swans begin their seventh year in the Premier League with a trip to Southampton before hosting Manchester United and then travelling to Crystal Palace.

And Trundle, who scored 83 goals in 166 Swans appearances, believes that the South Wales club can continue the form they showed at the end of last season.

“I am more optimistic this season with the manager in place,” he said.

“We did really well in the second half of last season after he took over and, with some of his signings coming in and a good pre-season, I think we will have a better year.

“The form the lads showed to get out of trouble was really good. Now they have to try to repeat that next season and I am confident they can.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

“You look at the early fixtures and it is a tough start, ideally you would like to start at home as you want to get that first win on the board, and Southampton away will be difficult.

“We don’t have a great record there but, saying that, the lads showed at the end of the season that they can compete with any team.

“If you are picking out months, then February and March look like they could be key, although we saw last season that the points don’t always come from the games you expect them to come from.

“The biggest thing to focus on for the moment is trying to make a good start. If we can do that, that will set us up nicely for the rest of the season.”