Matt Grimes | It would have broken my heart to face a Swansea side playing this way
Matt Grimes admits one of the reasons he committed his future to Swansea City was because he could not bear the thought of facing a Russell Martin team playing a brand of football he loves.
The midfielder, 26, recently put pen to paper on a new contract which will extend his stay with the club until the summer of 2025.
Grimes was linked with a move away from the Swans in the summer as he entered the final year of his previous deal, but his positive experience working with Russell Martin meant he was excited to extend his stay.
And the Exeter City product outlined how it was football considerations that were at the top of his mind when it came to discussing his new deal.
“The decision was made because I want to stay here. It was not a case of signing for another year or two so the club could get more money for me,” he said.
“That was not the case at all, I went to the manager and said I want to be part of this project.
“To be honest with you, it would have absolutely broken my heart if I had ended up at another Championship team and had to play against this style of football and been battered the way we have battered teams.
“I had to be a part of it, I went straight in and said I was committed to this project, I want to sign a new deal here.
“It was never a case of getting a few extra quid, that is not part of the plan at all. I want to be here and take this club back to the Premier League.
“Every week we get a chance to work and the manager is implementing his ideas, he is telling us the way he wants us to play, the intensity of how he works is second to none.
“I think he makes the whole dressing room better, I think every player can look at themselves in the mirror and say ‘I am a lot better player under this manager’ and whoever comes into the team or the club will find that the case.
“He is fantastic to work with and I believe he is taking this club places.”
Grimes and his team-mates will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser to Blackpool when they take on Barnsley at Oakwell on Wednesday night.
The skipper knows there is still plenty of work to be done as the Swans continue to adjust, adapt and improve under Martin’s guidance.
But he hopes they can again show the strides they are making against the Tykes.
“Learning and growing together to a point where we don’t make those mistakes. That’s the end goal,” added Grimes.
“It’s a process, and the way we are playing at the moment there are games we are absolutely dominating from start to finish.
“There are also still games, like the weekend, where there is still a lot to improve on.
“I think it is about learning and growing as a group to a point where we are not making those mistakes, and we are controlling games from the first minute to the last and are blowing teams away.
“That is the end goal, to get to the point where everyone is right at it and we are doing everything the manager wants from us.
“It’s a really tough game, Barnsley away. We know that from our previous experiences, but we are in a place where we are confident going into every game.
“The vibe is good in the squad and we are looking forward to it.”