Sousa Accepts Swansea Role

Former Queens Park Rangers boss Paulo Sousa has accepted a deal to succeed Roberto Martinez at Swansea City.

Sousa replaced outgoing boss Iain Dowie in November 2008 and was highly billed as one of the 'golden generation` of Portuguese footballers.

His time at Loftus Road was cut dramatically short as 26 games and five months later he was axed for divulging confidential information regarding, among other things, the departure of Dexter Blackstock.

Since then he has not shunned the spotlight emerging as a panel member for Football League matches on Sky Sports and vowing to continue his managerial journey in the UK.

Today (Thursday) that ambition came to fruition as he accepted an offer from Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins to succeed Spaniard Roberto Martinez who recently departed for Premier League outfit Wigan Athletic.

Sousa`s name was never really in the frame for the post until yesterday when SkyBet slashed their odds on him taking the vacant post at the Liberty Stadium.

The 38-year-old oversaw a shift in tactics at Loftus Road, notably deploying Hogan Ephraim in a central midfield role, and his reluctance in the early days to play without wingers raised a few eyebrows.

When Sousa`s Rangers got into their stride they were a formidable line-up and Swansea City supporters would be the first to testify the transformation from the forlorn flops that graced the Liberty Stadium under Dowie to the side that outplayed the Swans at Loftus Road.

Sousa has now been succeeded at Loftus Road by former Ipswich boss Jim Magilton as the managerial merry-go-round continues to turn, but the Portuguese boss can turn his attention to a promotion push of his own as he seeks to continue the hard work of Martinez.



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