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SWANSEA, Wales (AP) — Swansea fired manager Garry Monk on Wednesday after the team's slump in form in the Premier League, ending his two-year stint in charge in which he guided the club to its highest finish in England's top division.
After being unbeaten in the first four games of the season, the Welsh club has won just one of its last 11 games — the most recent being a 3-0 home loss to Leicester on Saturday.
Monk was with Swansea for more than 11 years, first as a defender and then manager since February 2014 when he replaced Michael Laudrup. Chairman Huw Jenkins said he made the decision with a "heavy heart."
"To find ourselves in our current situation from where we were in the first week of September, and considering the drop of performance levels and run of results over the last three months, it has brought us to this unfortunate decision," Jenkins said.
"Garry took on the job 22 months ago with the backing of everyone at the club. And when you take into account the excellent campaign we had last season when we broke all club records in the Premier League, nobody foresaw the position we would be in at this moment in time."
Former manager Brendan Rodgers and ex-Sunderland coach Gus Poyet have been linked with the job in the British media.
Monk established himself as one of the most highly rated managers in Britain by guiding Swansea to an eighth-place finish last season in his first full campaign in charge. The team's attractive passing game under Monk was a continuation of the style favored by previous managers Laudrup, Rodgers and Roberto Martinez.
The Swans picked up this season where they left off, drawing at Chelsea in their first game before home wins over Newcastle and Manchester United. The pressure on Monk has intensified in recent weeks, with the only win since the end of August coming against last-place Aston Villa.
"It was not a decision we took lightly, especially given Garry's history and standing within the club," said Jenkins, who has a reputation for showing loyalty to managers.
With the Premier League's biggest-ever TV deal starting next season, staying in the Premier League has never been as lucrative.
Liverpool, Aston Villa and Sunderland have already fired their managers this season.
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