Swansea City news as boss tells Whittaker what to do against old side and Paterson reveals secret behind turnaround
The latest news from the Swansea.com Stadium
Here's your round-up of all the latest Swansea City news for Friday, October 6.
Whittaker given advice ahead of Swans reunion
Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher has urged Morgan Whittaker "just to be himself" when he comes up against former side Swansea City on Saturday.
The forward was sold by the Swans back in July, completing a £1m return to the Pilgrims, where he's since flourished. Michael Duff has already revealed that the former Derby County prospect asked to leave the club shortly after he was appointed as boss, but stressed there were no hard feelings about his departure.
READ MORE: Swansea City boss Michael Duff reveals why Morgan Whittaker was sold to Plymouth Argyle and delivers injury update
Many eyes will likely be on Whittaker when the two sides meet at Home Park on Saturday, and current boss Schumacher hopes the 22-year-old will simply go out and play his regular game.
Schumacher said: "Whenever you play against one of your old teams you always look forward to it. I always found an extra five per cent of energy from somewhere and I'm sure he will be the same.
"What I will encourage Morgan to do is just to be himself as well. He doesn't need to do anything different than what he has been doing. He has been getting himself into good areas. One thing I might say about Morgan is that he's probably trying to shoot too much. He's desperate to score and we know how strong that left foot is, but there's times where he doesn't necessarily need to rush a shot and combine a little bit more.
"I just want him to be him. He loves playing for us. He enjoys the working environment he's in more than where he was previously, and I think that way then you get a better outcome from his performances because he's happy, and for Morgan that's the main thing."
Paterson - We have each other's backs
Jamie Paterson says Swansea City's character has shone through as a key factor in their recent upturn in form. The Swans head to Plymouth on Saturday on the back of three straight league wins, a run that has significantly eased the pressure on Michael Duff.
After going down with a whimper against bitter rivals Cardiff City, the Swans have shown a marked improvement in recent weeks. Paterson, who's enjoyed something of a renaissance this season, believes the recent run of results is testament to the team spirit within the Swans camp right now.
“All of the guys are working hard in the press together, I think the fans can see we have each other’s backs,” Paterson told the club’s official website after the midweek win.
“It really is a good group, I have said it before and I mean it. We have had a hard run but we have stuck together, we have deserved these wins, but there is another game coming up quickly, and hopefully we can take another result into the international break.
“After the start we had, there are one of two things you can do. You can either feel like the world is against you and sulk about it, or you can stick together and work to turn things around, and everyone has done that.
“We have had to work to try and find the right formula and you can see that everyone is plugging away and that shows the strength of the group.
“Personally, I am enjoying it, I am playing in a number 10 role, which is more my natural position. The important thing is I am fit and getting fitter, and I like to show that energy when I am fit.
“Last season was a bit of a write-off because of injury, but I hope I can start adding some goals to the tally, but I am definitely enjoying it.”
Cundle looks ahead to Swans clash
As well Morgan Whittaker, the Swans are also set to be reunited with former loanee Luke Cundle when they travel to Home Park. The midfielder enjoyed a successful loan spell in SA1 under Russell Martin last season, making 32 appearances.
It's understood Cundle was initially interested in returning for a second loan spell, although Martin's departure effectively ended any possibility of another move. The 21-year-old has since signed on for the Pilgrims, and is expecting a difficult game when the two sides meet on Saturday.
“It'll be a tough game, but we just need to concentrate on ourselves really,” said Cundle, “and improve on the things we need to improve on.
“I think you have an extra bit of motivation to do that bit better when you're playing against a former club. I’m definitely looking forward to the game on the weekend.
“It’s not much of a difference. You know a lot of the lads who you're going to be up against, so that's always in your mind. You'll speak to them probably before and after the game; it's a bit weird in a way, but it's not really much difference to be honest.
“They're a team who have players who are all naturally good on the ball. I think that will always be the way they play. That's kind of the Swansea way.
“It takes time for any new manager to implement his own system and philosophy. We're expecting a different team from last year. They've won the last three, so they'll be on a high coming in and they'll be looking to win the game just as much as we are.
“We're going to be at home on the weekend, with the fans behind us again. The three games we have won this season have been at home, so I feel as if the boys will give everything on the weekend and hopefully we can get the result we want.”