PABLO Counago today dismissed the myth that Swansea are more about Spanish style than English effort.

Derek Davis

PABLO Counago today dismissed the myth that Swansea are more about Spanish style than English effort.

The Blues striker, who started his career at Celta Vigo and had a stint with Real Mallorca in between stays with Ipswich, believes the Swans way of playing is more a reflection of their award-winning manager Roberto Martinez than the type of football more commonly played in their native Spain, even with so many Spanish-born players in the squad.

Counago said: “Swansea are playing good football in this league. They are doing great after winning promotion last year but I don't know about the influence of Spanish football.

“If you go to Spain to see football you're not going to see teams like Swansea, probably there'll be teams playing worse football than Swansea, even in La Liga.

“Sometimes the ideology of a manager is that he wants to show his team can play football and I think they are doing well but I think we are another good team who try to play football and take care of the ball. I think it's going to be a good match."

Counago netted both of Town's goals in the 2-2 draw against Swansea at Portman Road in October and has eight goals to his name so far this season, although he has not netted on the Road since last August at Watford, although he is not letting it get to him.

He said: “No not really because I always try to do the right things and of course it's frustrating when you don't score goals away from home but it's frustrating as well when you don't have the same chances away as you do at home.”

The Spaniard will not add to his tally from the spot after losing confidence.

He said: “Other players want to take the responsibility and now I don't have 100% confidence to take penalties so it's better that other players do it.

“Penalties are 100% confidence because everyone can score penalties.

“It's not a big thing in football to score a penalty but also everyone can miss as well so it's always about confidence and of course some players have good feelings about penalties and that's normally when one player misses that another is given the responsibility."

While today's result could go a long way in deciding who will be genuine promotion contenders and who could slip out of the picture, Couango feels that overall Town are better equipped to go up than they were last time he was here.

He said: “We are a bigger and a stronger squad. A few years ago we had good players and now we have good players as well but more than a few years ago.

“There's more competition between the players. The manager changes the players and that's a big thing for competition between the players. To know you have to give everything because there are players around you who can be in the starting 11."

Counago has become accustomed to playing with a different partner almost each week but insists it doesn't bother him.

He said: “Everyone can play with everyone. Of course when you are playing you always want to play every game to have the confidence to feel on the pitch every minute of every game but when you have a bigger squad you know it's difficult and you know there are going to be changes.

“So it doesn't really matter if you play with Jon {Walters}, {Jon} Stead or Kevin Lisbie."

As a senior figure, and Spanish, Counago has taken it upon himself to help new boy Luciano Civelli fit in.

He added: “I try to help him when he needs anything. I think he's doing well and won't have any problems adapting and to try to do the best for this club."