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| Dennis Bergkamp (left) and Mark Warburton (right) are favourites to replace Garry Monk at Swansea |
MARK WARBURTON and Dennis Bergkamp have emerged as the leading contenders to take over at Swansea City after the axe finally fell on manager Garry Monk.
Monk, 36, was relieved of his duties following a run of just one win in 11 Premier League games, which had left the Welsh club a point above the relegation zone.
Bookmakers' favourite Brendan Rodgers had been sounded out about a return to south Wales by chairman Huw Jenkins but the Northern Irishman, sacked by Liverpool in October, is thought to have told Swansea he wants to take a break from the game before resuming his managerial career in the summer.
That leaves Rangers' boss Warburton and Ajax assistant Bergkamp as the principle targets on the Swans' shortlist, although former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has also been linked to the vacancy.
Warburton has plenty of support inside the Liberty Stadium boardroom after his impressive spell in charge of Brentford and his work in establishing the NextGen Series to develop young players, and it is believed Swansea have already made initial contact with the 53-year-old.
Arsenal great Bergkamp, who was in the frame for the vacancy at Reading, has been admired by Jenkins for some time and was considered for the role when Rodgers left for Anfield in 2012.
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| Garry Monk parted company with Swansea after just one win in 11 Premier League games |
Poyet, meanwhile, recently joined Greek club AEK Athens but is thought to have a meagre buy-out clause in his contract. The Uruguayan was offered the Swansea job in 2010, before Paolo Sousa was appointed.
The departure of Monk, who received a pay-off of around £3million having signed a new three-year contract in the summer, marks a sad end to his 11 years of service to the club as player, captain and manager.
His win ratio of 35.8% was the highest of any Swansea manager in the Premier League, but an alarming run of poor results and performances, culminating in a 3-0 home hiding against Leicester left Swansea with little choice but to act.
However, it was particularly cruel to see the former defender being tasked with taking training over the last two days, even though he knew the board had already decided a change would be made.
The sight of Monk going through the motions at the club's Fairwood base while Jenkins, who offered his manager no public backing during the slump in form, picked up his OBE at Windsor Castle will have sat uneasily with Swansea supporters.
"The decision has been made very reluctantly, and with a heavy heart," said Jenkins.
"To find ourselves in our current situation from where we were in the first week of September, and considering the drop of performance levels and run of results over the last three months, it has brought us to this unfortunate decision.
"It was not a decision we took lightly, especially given Garry's history and standing within the club. And it goes without saying that we wish Garry all the very best for the future and thank him for his tremendous services, not only as a player over the last decade, but also as a manager.
"He will always have a warm welcome at this football club."
Monk's assistant Pep Clotet and attack coach James Beattie, who were believed to have become unpopular figures in the dressing room, will also leave their posts.
That will leave backroom staff members such as Kris O'Leary and Alan Curtis to lead the side into this weekend's daunting clash with Manchester City at the Etihad.
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| Chairman Huw Jenkins admits it was a very difficult decision to part ways with Monk |
The split between players and some members of the coaching staff led to a difficult atmosphere in the dressing room, while a failure to strengthen sufficiently in the summer has been another reason for trouble.
Some players came to feel they were assured of their places, regardless of whether they underperformed, further raising tensions until Monk rang the changes before the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last month.
Others proved to be an unsettling influence. For example, aside from a brief hot streak, Bafetimbi Gomis has been more noteworthy for agitating for a move away from the club rather than any on-field achievements.
The former Lyon man spent last January criticising the club, and would have left in the summer had UAE club Al Ahli not made a late alteration to terms on a £6million move, after he had said goodbye to his team-mates. He is almost certain to be sold when the transfer window opens next month.
Monk tried his best to hold the ship together, holding frank, clear-the-air talks in an effort to turn fortunes around.
However, his players did not respond, and it cost a bright, young managerial talent his job.
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