Swansea caretaker Curtis does research on Bielsa

Swansea City caretaker boss Alan Curtis has been scouring the internet to research the credentials of colourful coach Marcelo Bielsa, who is tipped as the favourite to replace former manager Garry Monk.

Monk was dismissed last week following a run of just one win in 11 Premier League matches that left Swansea mired in relegation trouble.

Bielsa has earned a reputation as an eccentric character during spells with the likes of Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao and most recently Marseille.

The 60-year-old was once referred to as "the best manager in the world at the moment" by Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino - who played under Bielsa for Argentina - described him as "The Crazy One", but also talked up his ability.

And Curtis has been learning about Swansea's possible new coach online, saying: "Obviously I know his reputation but I don't know a great deal about him, so I have been Googling him.

"When a new manager comes in, you're never quite sure how he's going to react or how he deals with players, training and the staff.

"But Bielsa's reputation as a coach is fantastic, and if Pep Guardiola rates him as the best coach ever then he's obviously somebody you're bound to learn from."

While Bielsa is the frontrunner to take over at the Liberty Stadium, chairman Huw Jenkins insists the club will continue to take their time to ensure they get the right man.

"We have been working tirelessly and diligently to fill the managerial void," he said. "But the important thing is that we find the right person to complement our set-up.

"We would all like the appointment to happen sooner rather than later, but we will not rush into anything. If it takes us a little longer than expected then I'm sure it will be to the long-term benefit of this football club."