By Graham Thomas
Michael Obafemi has transformed his character as much as his goal return in the past few weeks at Swansea City.
That was the assessment of his head coach Russell Martin after Obafemi drove a bulldozer through a stacked 110-year history between Welsh football’s biggest clubs to leave Cardiff City’s recent revival in ruins.
The Swansea striker scored his team’s first and last goals as they totally outclassed their rivals with a 4-0 away win – their biggest Welsh derby victory since 1949.
The Obafemi destruction – which sandwiched goals from Ben Cabango and Hannes Wolf – also demolished one of Welsh football’s best known and quirkiest statistics.
No club had previously done a league double over the other in over a century of trying, but that record can now be swept away with the post-match debris.
Martin has plenty to build on, with dominant displays all across the field, including from Obafemi, who has now scored eight goals in 11 games.
Take outs from today:
• players, management and fans of Cardiff don’t seem to realise the importance of the rivalry
• the passing play under Martin has clicked. Next season could be very special for @SwansOfficial— John Williams (@JohnWilliams004) April 2, 2022
That’s some turnaround for the Dublin-born player who was raised in London by Nigerian parents.
The former Southampton man scored just once in his first 15 matches at Swansea but Martin added: “He has accepted criticism and been honest with me and his teammates.
“He’s dropped his guard and been himself. He’s showing glimpses of his potential and hopefully he’ll be a really big player for us.”
“I put it down to finding a level of consistency in his daily approach.
“We Just worked really hard, he had a good attitude and the rest just comes. We’ve said that all along. He’s showing glimpses of his potential and hopefully he’ll be a really big player for us.
“The first half of the season wasn’t easy for him to come in and settle but for him to do what he’s doing is nice to see.
“I’m really proud of him because he’s come a long way on and off the pitch and needs to continue growing like the rest of the young guys in the group. He’s been brilliant.”
Swansea city do the double in this seasons South Wales Derby, Cardiff city 0 Swansea city 4 at the CCS today, 1 nil would have done for me 😀, pics by Andrew Orchard pic.twitter.com/AQ0Li0T48J
— Andrew Orchard (@sportsphotoAOSP) April 2, 2022
“There’s only one team in Wales,” chanted delirious Swansea fans as they inflicted a humiliating defeat on their closest and bitterest rivals.
Judged on this result – and the 3-0 home victory in October – that claim rings true, although elsewhere on their travels the Swans have often been fragile.
For that reason, this victory still leaves them back in 16th place in the Championship – one place above Cardiff – and the task for Martin is to bring consistency next season.
“This is the best moment I have had as a manager, without doubt,” said Martin.
“We were clinical and that is something we have not always been this season, but we really were here.
“We showed the team we can be and I hope it is a small reward to the supporters for the patience they have shown us.
“It means so much to everyone. We all watched the supporters leaving the stadium on the buses, and we watched a video that had been put together by the analysts and the media team.
Russell Martin, you’ve had your critics but you’ve shut them up today.
Him and his team should be very proud for creating history today, every player and staff member has wrote their name in to Swansea City folklore.
‘Here’s to you Russell Martin..’ 🎶🦢 pic.twitter.com/a7sSMaLUWq
— Jordan (@JordanWebber96) April 2, 2022
“It had messages from supporters and members of staff about what this meant to them, and once we had watched that we knew we had to come here and win.”
Obafemi led the charge when he swept home the first goal after just six minutes following a sublime exchange of passes with Jamie Paterson after a nine-pass move that had craved Cardiff open.
Cardiff boy Cabango then thumped home the second from a corner just before the hour, before Hannes Wolf headed home a third.
By the time Obafemi curled home a delicious fourth goal, many demoralised Cardiff fans were already hurrying through the exits.
The Bluebirds had won three and drawn one of their previous four games, but this was their biggest defeat under manager Steve Morison.
When they tried to press, Swansea’s crisp passing cut them to ribbons and when the home side stood off, they were forced to watch the visitors play keep-ball.
“It’s the losing that hurts,” said Morison.
Ballsy from Steve Morison maybe but don’t think this quote will go down well with Cardiff fans after derby drubbing.
“Hopefully we don’t dwell on it too long, because the remit when I took the job was to keep this club in the Championship next year – not to win certain games.”
— Phil Blanche (@philblanche) April 2, 2022
“We have been on an incredible run and we have let everyone down today – myself, my staff, the players, we haven’t done enough for this football club.
“The silence in the dressing room said a thousand words.
“It’s a worse defeat than we had earlier in the season, but the goal was to stay in the Championship so that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
“I totally get that it’s huge for the fans, the players, it’s huge for everyone. But we lost. We can’t do anything about it now.
“It won’t be a very nice place to leave here, it won’t be a very nice place to be around.
“Obviously, we all want to win this game for the magnitude of it and how big it was. And I’m in charge when we’ve had the first double done against us.”
