Alan Tate: Former Swansea City player joins first-team staff

Published on: 16 September 2019

Alan Tate (R) has joined Swansea City's first-team coaching staff, while former team-mate Leon Britton (L) is the club's sporting director

Swansea City have added club legend Alan Tate to their first-team coaching staff.

Tate, 37, has been promoted from his academy coaching role to work under boss Steve Cooper.

Tate played for Swansea in all four divisions, making 340 appearances across 13 years before leaving the club in 2015.

"It's not a step I thought would come so quickly," former defender Tate told BBC Sport Wales.

"The manager, Marshy (assistant coach Mike Marsh) and the chairman must have been impressed with something about me.

"It's great for me and hopefully it will benefit the first team and the young players at the club."

Tate has been working in Swansea's academy since 2016 and is close to securing his Pro Licence, the highest available coaching qualification.

    Steve Cooper: Swans boss wins Championship August prize Leon Britton: Swansea City legend is club's new sporting director

The former Manchester United youngster will work with Swansea's senior squad on a daily basis while retaining links with the academy.

"The manager asked if it would be something that would interest me - this was just before the Derby game (on 10 August)," Tate added.

"He said we'll give it a two-week trial to see if it works. Two weeks turned to three, three to four and now I am in my sixth week.

"We agreed a couple of weeks ago we would make it full time. It's progressed nicely on the training ground and on match days.

"I am out with the first team day to day, helping the manager and Marshy run the sessions. I give my input and opinion into the sessions and into tactical analysis of other teams.

"On match days I am the one in the stands feeding down to the bench what patterns we see, what we can do better and what the opposition have changed."

Tate joins a new-look Swansea coaching set-up following the summer departure of manager Graham Potter and his backroom team to Brighton.

Alan Tate captained Swansea in their first Premier League game, at Manchester City in August, 2011

The Swans have made a bright start to the new season, losing for the first time under Cooper against Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

"It has been really promising," Tate said.

"One of the things initially with me stepping up and the manager and Marshy having a look at me was that option was there to step away if I didn't feel it was the right thing for me or the club.

"But they work hard and their ideas for the club as well as the way they have bought into the city and the club have been exceptional. Hopefully that continues for a long time."

Swansea chairman Trevor Birch said: "Alan possesses many qualities and is a great addition to the first-team set-up.

"His love and passion for the club is well known and, like Leon Britton, it is important to have people here who have been part of Swansea City's journey and understand what we are all about.

"But Alan has proved in his time working under Steve that he is very capable and can play an important part of the coaching staff."

Source: bbc.com

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