Interview with Andy Fisher

ANDY FISHER BECAME SWANSEA CITY’S FIRST SIGNING OF THE JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS MOVE FROM MK DONS FOR AN UNDISCLOSED FEE. HERE, HE REVEALS HOW FAMILY CONNECTIONS HELPED GET HIM A BREAK AT BLACKBURN, HIS DELIGHT AT WORKING WITH RUSSELL MARTIN AGAIN, AND WHAT HE HOPES TO BRING TO HIS NEW CLUB.

Andy, welcome to Swansea City. I think it’s fair to say you had been heavily linked with Swansea before this move was completed. How does it feel now it is all done and dusted?

I am delighted to be here. It has felt like it has been going on for a while and I know there has been a lot of chat in the media, but it is great to be done and have it all sealed and sorted.

Walking in here from day one has been unbelievable, the way I have been treated by all the staff and all the players. Stuff like that is so important and I could not wait to get started.

You were well established at MK Dons, and playing regularly in a side doing well. What was it about the chance to come to Swansea City that made you feel it was the right time to move?

The chance to play Championship football was a big part of it, no question. But also everyone knows I was at MK with the gaffer, I know his style of play and it is unbelievable.

It was something I was very keen to get back to, because I really enjoy it.

I remember going to MK on loan at first, and I did not really know too much about the gameplan they were looking to implement, but you would be on the ball and they would be encouraging you to bring it out at your feet, or look to play. You do think ‘what is going on here?’ It’s obviously different to an awful lot of teams but once you are in that position it is an unbelievable way of playing. It is exciting, it challenges you and people may think it looks a bit scary, but I don’t see it that way.

I enjoy being tested, I enjoy being involved in the game that way because I don’t think a modern goalkeeper can expect to just stand between his posts all day and just save shots and catch crosses. The game is about far more than that now.

I feel comfortable with the ball at my feet, and the level of detail that Russell, Luke (Williams) and Dean (Thornton) put into training is incredible. It prepares you to deliver what they are asking of you.

It makes it so much easier, it comes from the tone they set.

I suppose it also comes down to the coaching staff knowing your capabilities. They always say the best job interview is one where you’ve worked with the people before, you must come here knowing the coaches can get the best out of you?

Exactly. I loved working with them all, Dean Thornton has always been class with me and I know that all they want is the very best for me. They want me to be the very best I can be.

I feel they will be able to get the most out of me.

You talked about the role of the goalkeeper in the modern game. You’re still a young man at 23, but have you seen changes in the demands of the position even in your career? As you say, the position has come a long way from days when keepers could just pick up a backpass and largely used their feet to punt the ball long.

I think you have to be able to be very good with your hands and your feet. It’s not like back in the day where it was purely about keeping the ball out of the net.

Don’t get me wrong, that is still very, very important, but it is not the only part of the position.

Keepers now have to be able to play with your feet, just look at top teams like Liverpool and Manchester City. Ederson and Alisson are great keepers, but they play from the back and a lot of that comes from the keeper.

As far as I am concerned the game is changing for the better on that front.

You talked earlier about wanting the opportunity to play in the Championship, that speaks to you being ambitious and keen to play at the highest level possible.

That’s what it’s about. It’s definitely a factor. I was at Blackburn when they were in the Championship but my game time was limited and I did not really have that opportunity.

I made the decision drop down to get games, and now I have managed to get back to the Championship, so I have got to make the most of it. In terms of your background and career to date, you were born in Wigan and joined Blackburn as a youngster. How did the chance at Rovers come about, and who did you get the chance to work with there?

My cousin put me in for a trial there, to be fair. He is also involved in football so those family ties came in handy.

He knew what it was about, and he thought I would be a good candidate for it.

I enjoyed my time there, I remember when I joined that Paul Robinson was their goalkeeper. Obviously he was the England number one at the time so it was a really big deal to have him there and see him around.

I was very young so I can’t say I worked with him, and the year I got the chance to step up he left. But I got to see him train and watch what he was doing and working on.

I also worked with David Raya at Blackburn, I trained with him a lot and he is a good guy and a very good keeper.

My time at Blackburn was great and I do not have a single bad word to say about the club.

You had loan spells during your time with Rovers, including one with FC United of Manchester. That must have been an interesting club to play for.

It was really good fun there, and they had brilliant support. Again, that was about me just wanting to get out and play games regularly.

I just thought it made sense, I really enjoyed it there and I got plenty of game time.

You then went to MK on loan, with the start of the pandemic disrupting that, but that experience of working with Russell Martin, Luke Williams et al clearly made an impression on you because you joined permanently the following season.

Yeah, that is 100 per cent right. Their man management is absolutely brilliant and it was something I was keen to get back to and experience again.

I want to come here and play well for them, and do well for this club because I know how big this club is and I know where it belongs.

I cannot thank the coaches and the club enough for this opportunity.

The facilities are brilliant. I actually played at the academy training base for Blackburn’s under-23s and I didn’t know there are another training base.

I was blown away, the facilities are just class, the pitches are great. There’s no excuses here.

Finally, what do you hope to achieve on an individual and collective level during your time at Swansea City?

Firstly, I want to play as many games as I possibly can, and achieve some real good things with the club.

I think overall the aim is the same for everyone, everyone wants to be promoted and get the club back to the Premier League.