De Vries glad of stable Swansea

Last updated : 11 March 2010 By BBC Sport

Swansea City goalkeeper Dorus de Vries say it is important for a football club to have no off-field turmoil if players are to produce their best in games.Premier League Portsmouth have recently gone into administration owing £60m, while Chester City have been wound up.

Swansea's neighbours and Championship promotion rivals Cardiff City are another club in financial difficulties.

"The main focus for players always should be what's happening on... matchday," said the Dutch stopper.

"So there's no distractions off the pitch, things going on with financial troubles or whatever.

"And that's a good position to be in as a player as well; you don't worry about your future then as... you do when you play for those clubs [having financial problems].

"Players might be not paid for a while and the wages might be a little different up there as well."

"It's nice to have no distractions which means you can only focus and put all your energy into positive things on the pitch.

This month is very important... because we have important opponents, important games

Swansea manager Paulo Sousa

"And that's what you want eventually as a player, you don't want any problems on your mind, you don't want any hassle, you just want to play your football in the best way possible and that's when you're focussed on the pitch."

Southend United, like Cardiff, are another football club to have been given an ultimatum to pay monies owed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in the High Court.

Cardiff have until 5 May to settle their £1.9m debt, while League One Southend have even less time to come up with a sum understood to be close to £200,000.

Crystal Palace are struggling to avoid relegation from the Championship after being automatically docked 10 league points having already gone into administration this season.

Swansea are not free of debt themselves, but a sum understood to be around the £400,000 mark is no real cause for alarm for a club operating in Swansea's situation at Championship level.

Manager Paulo Sousa still has the resources at his disposal to strengthen his squad, with the Portuguese keen to bolster his injury-hit midfield with loan signings as they seek to consolidate their place in at least the play-offs.

"Yes, we need to be looking because we are struggling a little bit," Sousa said.

"We will see what we can get for the next days... this month is very important for everyone, especially for us because we have important opponents, important games and we want to be... competitive and winning games."

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport