Morten Wieghorst eyes up a bright future for Swansea City

MORTEN Wieghorst has his eyes wide open as he glances ahead to what could be an enthralling future at Swansea City.

The towering Dane has only been working in the Premier League for a little over a month.

For the moment, he says, he is in sponge-mode, absorbing everything that is going on around him at the Liberty Stadium and elsewhere in the English top tier.

Wieghorst readily admits that he is still getting used to new surroundings.

But he has already seen enough to be convinced that at Swansea, there is much to look forward to.

"Next season will be exciting," Wieghorst says.

"Of course, we have to take care of the rest of this season first.

"We want to finish as high as possible in the league and we have some big games coming up against a lot of teams who are fighting for something.

"Once we have done that, next season will be a fantastic challenge for us.

"As the manager has said, expectations will be higher next year and that in itself means a challenge.

"And there is also the challenge of playing in Europe, so there are many things to look forward to."

Wieghorst has been warmly received at Swansea having returned to these shores after more than a decade first playing and then coaching in his homeland.

His impressive English is delivered with a Scottish lilt as a result of the ten-year stint he had playing north of the border, first for Dundee and then Celtic.

Perhaps, as he puts down roots in these parts, there will soon be a Welsh twang as well.

"I am settling in well," he adds.

"The staff and the players have made it easy for me, and I feel part of it already.

"We had a cup final two weeks after I got here, so it has been a whirlwind start.

"Once I get out of the hotel and get my own place it will help, but I can already see this is nice place with a great football club."

Wieghorst's first Swansea game — which he watched from the directors' box — was the demolition of Queens Park Rangers.

His maiden appearance in the dugout was rather less enjoyable, as Swansea were thumped at Liverpool, but Michael Laudrup's team responded by beating Bradford City and then Newcastle United.

Since then there have been two league defeats, meaning an added incentive to succeed when Swansea return to action against Spurs in nine days' time.

"It's been a packed month," Wieghorst acknowledges.

"But I am just trying to get to know the staff and the players on the training pitch.

"It's fantastic to be part of the Premier League. I managed in Denmark for five years and then I was with the Danish Under-21 team for almost two years.

"After five years in the same league you get used to the same places and the same teams, but this is a new start. That makes it very interesting for me.

"Every game is a big game in the Premier League. If you are not on top of your game, you will find it very hard to get the points on a matchday.

"That's challenging — but it's nice to be part of that."