Swansea City boss Alan Sheehan has urged his players to stay sharp and match the intensity of their relegation-threatened opponents as the Championship season enters its final stretch.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s home clash with bottom-placed Plymouth Argyle, Sheehan is looking to maintain the momentum his side has built under his leadership since taking over from Luke Williams in February.
“I think there's a really good atmosphere around the place. We are really happy with the level of training – it's challenging and there's a bit of an edge in the air,” Sheehan said.
“We want to get better, we want to be adaptable and we want to gain confidence from winning in different ways. The lads are so behind it right now."
The Swans, who currently sit 15th and seven points clear of the drop zone, are in a promising position after picking up 11 points from seven games since Sheehan took charge.
A victory over Plymouth would likely secure their Championship status, taking them beyond the 50-point benchmark.
Coming off the back of a gritty win over Derby County – where Eom Ji-Sung’s late strike proved decisive in a game low on quality – Sheehan knows exactly what type of contest to expect against another desperate opponent.
“At this time of the season, with single figures left in games, people are fighting for their lives,” Sheehan said.
“Derby were, Plymouth are – we have to match that in every game.
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“Yes I understand that sometimes you'd like to do it in style, but it's difficult right now against the teams we are coming up against.
“It is all about finding a way. I'd rather win ugly I suppose than lose pretty, if that makes sense. That's where we are at right now.”
Plymouth arrive in South Wales buoyed by their recent 2-1 victory over Norwich City, which lifted them to seven points from their last four matches.
Under new manager Miron Muslic, they’re showing signs of resilience in the face of a brutal run-in that includes fixtures against four promotion-chasing teams.
Sheehan is under no illusions about the task ahead.
“Every team raises their level by 5% at this time of year,” he said.
“They are a team we have to be aware of and try to give the best version of ourselves.”
With no new injury concerns to report, Sheehan is keeping faith in a squad that has responded well to his leadership, as he continues to push for a positive end to what has been a challenging season.
"When I came into this position, if you'd said you'd have the same record as [his last stint in charge], seven games and 11 points, with the run of games coming up, I'd have said 'I'll take that'.
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“Now we are here I am very happy and very proud of the players for what they have done so far and know that the challenge is to keep going like this.”
With survival nearly in sight, Sheehan’s message is clear: stay focused, keep working, and finish strong.
