Today's media round-up

Following the 3-0 derby win over Cardiff City, there is plenty of reaction in today's media.
Among the stories, head coach Garry Monk speaks about his victorious first game in charge while skipper Ashley Williams explains how a DVD played a role in the win.

Daily Mail
Monk spent hours preparing for his Swansea audition... by cleaning the garage

Garry Monk spent the hours before one of Swansea City's finest performances this season by cleaning his garage. Compared to the madness of the previous four days, it was something of a relief.

It remains to be seen how his audition pans out and how much of Saturday's brilliance and intensity can be replicated when the fixture isn't a derby against Cardiff City.

But if the formula to Swansea's success really is as simple as hard work plus ambition - the latter suggested by Huw Jenkins in some revealing programme notes about Michael Laudrup - then Monk could yet prove he is not the gamble some say he is.

He talks to Jenkins daily when the chairman comes to watch training, a conversation that has been happening in one way or other for nearly 10 years since he joined the club. Monk knows Swansea's history as well as anyone and understood what Jenkins was referring to when he wrote that the club's 'strong principles were slowly being eroded' under Laudrup.

On one level it was a reflection of Laudrup's often-repeated stance that Swansea could not compete with the top teams. That view irritated Jenkins. On another level, as Monk alluded to on Saturday evening, Swansea's historic principles are based on 'hard work', which is telling in light of the squad's criticisms of Laudrup's training.

Monk's response this week was double training sessions and to send his players home with a documentary about the club's history.

'I haven't slept for four days,' Monk said. 'I went from having a cushy little job of two or three hours a day to full-blown management.

'It was a relief to wake up on Saturday morning and know I had a few hours to relax a little bit. I played with my daughter. My missus is walking around like a penguin because she's pregnant with twins and I just did the usual things - I took the bin out. I cleared a bit of the garage because she was moaning about that.

'This time last week I would have played with my daughter. Now we've done a bit of prep for Stoke (tomorrow) already, you have to.'

Daily Star
That's for you gaffers! Williams dedicates Cardiff win to bosses old and new

Ashley Williams dedicated the derby victory over Cardiff to his old boss AND his new.
   
Michael Laudrup was sacked last week and replaced by club captain Garry Monk after just one win in 10 league matches.

Chairman Huw Jenkins banned the Dane from returning to the training ground to say his goodbyes to his players

Then in Saturday's programme notes he took an almighty swipe at the man who led the Swans to League Cup glory last year.

Jenkins said it was clear to the board that the strong principles built up by the club over the last 10 years were slowly being eroded under Laudrup.

Monk kicked off his tenure by guiding a rejuvenated Swans' side to a morale-boosting victory over their arch rivals from down the M4.

Despite being the best of mates having spent the last six years playing in the same team, Williams was in no mood to give Monk all the credit.

"I'm not sure how much credit is down to him," the Swans skipper said.

"It would be easy to say all of it, to be honest. What I will say is that we definitely performed differently to what we have been.

"There is a bit of a thank you in this performance to Michael Laudrup. That is how I feel. Hopefully he was watching.

"It was not that we didn't perform for him and we performed for Monks.

"It's the same team he had and the players he brought in. This win is for everyone involved."

Daily Express
Monk is the ideal man for the job after Swansea's second-half demolition of Cardiff

Swansea City is a club where they mean what they say when they talk about ideals and philosophies. There could have been no more epic setting for Garry Monk to resurrect them than in the howling wind and rain of a South Wales derby.

Even then, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the last man on the pitch at the Liberty Stadium, trudging across the sodden grass to applaud the travelling Cardiff City supporters whose team had been comprehensively outplayed and then stripped apart in a second-half demolition.

He left recalling that while he was a Manchester United player, the demand was for victory in every game. It is the same in the dug-out now, only for reasons of survival, with a critical home game against Aston Villa looming tomorrow and the thought of it promising a sleepless night beforehand.

The uplifting of the city on the River Tawe by its football team in the wake of the sacking of Michael Laudrup was a rare and profound experience. The engaging, wise-cracking Monk, 10 years a player at the heart of Swansea's defence and their captain in all four divisions, handed his players a film before this game detailing the club's proud but turbulent history.

This was one of those memorable days which will feature prominently in any future editions of the story. It wasn't just that Swansea won so completely but that they re-tuned with such vigour and determination to the style of energetic, crisp, brave passing football which has been the trademark of their decade-long climb from the game's rubble pile.

That is what made this feel like a resurrection more than just a simple recovery from a run of just one win 10 Premier League games.

The chairman who has overseen the whole remarkable transformation, Huw Jenkins, spoke in his programme notes of how he detected "an erosion" of the club's principles which forced him with a heavy heart to bring Laudrup's tenure to an end.

When the 34-year-old Monk talked afterwards of how critical it was to repay Jenkins and the board for taking the decision in the week of one of the most highly-charged derbies in the British game, it offered an insight into the spirit which has made Swansea unique.

"I've been here for 10 years and I know exactly what this club stands for," Monk said. "The chairman is brilliant. As much as this win was for the fans, it was for the board as well. They put a lot of trust in, changing things when they did. I'm sure they were pretty worried about this game after doing it in such a high-profile week.

"They thought that at this particular time, they needed someone to take over who cares about the club, who understands it and what it stands for. I made sure the players know that too."

Wales Online
Williams reveals a Swans history lesson inspired derby day triumph

Swansea City skipper Ashley Williams revealed a history lesson from new boss Garry Monk inspired them to a derby triumph that will long be remembered in south-west Wales.

Three second-half goals gave Swansea the bragging brights as well as three valuable Premier League points to ease their relegation concerns.

The victory was all the more impressive coming just days after former boss Michael Laudrup was shown the door at the Liberty Stadium.

Monk has been installed as first-team coach for now and he did his long-term hopes of keeping the job no harm at all with a stirring performance and result.

And Williams said that during the week leading up to the big clash Monk had sent his players home to watch some videos showing both the good and the bad times from the club's past.

"We had a bit of homework and I think it helped a little bit, it certainly helped me," said Williams.

"I watched the videos. It was about the history of the club, all sorts of things.

"I've been here for six years and I found some stuff I didn't know. It makes you respect the place a little bit more. It's important.

"Garry is someone who has been involved here for a long time. People like myself and Leon (Britton), we've built things up here and we don't want to see that go.

"It would be our fault and if we pull our socks up we can get out of this.

"This was a good win, it could have gone really badly for Garry or really well. It ended up going really well and I am pleased for Garry."

South Wales Evening Post
Monk off to sensational start as Swans head coach

Dean Saunders suggested Garry Monk should pack in football management immediately after leading Swansea City to a resounding derby victory over Cardiff - because things just couldn't get any better.

The former Swansea striker, once considered for the Liberty hot seat himself, was reflecting on a dream day for his home club's new head coach.

For Monk, thrust into action after Michael Laudrup's dramatic departure last week, everything went right.

There are many facets to being a successful football club boss, and the indication was that Swansea's long-serving defender may have a fair few of those in his locker.

Being able to motivate is key, and following criticism of Laudrup's gusto, Monk was the picture of passion at the Liberty on Saturday.

Patrolling his technical area with an energetic enthusiasm, the former Swansea skipper barely sat down for the entire match.

While his predecessor might have preferred the quiet, considered approach, Monk cut an animated figure, barking out instructions to his players amid the defeating din of a derby-day atmosphere.

BBC Sport Wales
Williams will give everything for Monk

Wales captain Ashley Williams says he is 100% behind Swansea caretaker manager Garry Monk.

The 34-year-old was put in charge for "the foreseeable future" this week after the controversial sacking of Michael Laudrup.

Williams embraced Monk on the pitch after Swansea's 3-0 Premier League win against Cardiff on Saturday in his first game in charge.

"I would do anything for Garry Monk," said centre-back Williams.

"I have been in so many battles with that guy over the last six years."

The pair played together regularly at the heart of the Swansea defence, as the club rose up the leagues to claim a place in the top flight.

Last season they lifted the League Cup together, as the Swans won their first major domestic trophy.

The result against their fierce Welsh rivals saw Swansea move up to 10th in the Premier League table - four points above the relegation zone - and Williams says his side "need all the points" they can get to steer themselves closer to safety.

Monk, still a registered player for the club, has rarely played over the last two seasons because of injury.

He revealed after the game he had received advice from some of his former bosses: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and and Everton chief Roberto Martinez.

"They gave me advice which I will keep to myself," Monk added.

"They are guys at the very top of their game and when they are giving you good advice and wishing you well and giving you little bits and bobs it can only help."
Clad in a tracksuit and demonstrating an impressive grasp of those secret touchline hand signals that only managers understand, Monk looked the part.