By Gareth Vincent
South Wales Evening Post

Garry Monk has backed Swansea City's Championship novices to prove John Toshack wrong after the Wales manager forecast a season of struggle for his old club.

Toshack, who has watched Swansea train during pre-season, reckons Roberto Martinez's men could suffer through a lack of second-tier experience.

But Monk, one of only four Swans who has played in the Championship before, insists last season's League One champions will make their other attributes count.

"I can see what John Toshack's saying experience-wise because not a lot of us have played in the division before," said the Swansea captain.

"But it definitely won't be a struggle for us. It will be tough - I'm not naïve enough to expect it to be easy - but having played in that league before, I believe we're good enough to impose ourselves.

"If we get our confidence going with a couple of early wins, I think we'll go from strength to strength.

"When you think about it, we didn't have that much experience last season.

"We had a lot of boys who came in from different countries who adapted straightaway, and I don't see why the same thing can't happen this year.

"In a way it's good that people are writing us off. That should spur us on because it gives us the chance to prove them wrong."

Ex-Swansea boss Toshack made his gloomy prediction before watching Martinez's men lose 4-0 to Espanyol on Friday night.

The response from Swansea's present manager was typically diplomatic.

"It's the truth, we haven't got a lot of experience at Championship level," Martinez said, "but to be honest I would rather have it that way.

"We need enthusiastic people who are hungry for success.

"We are going into a division where teams have spent £2million or £3million on one player and, as John Toshack says, we need to be patient because we're not in a position to do that.

"But it's not for me to moan about that. Experience is a big word in football, but then sometimes if you have experience you don't have legs, energy or enthusiasm.

"We have to prove we're good enough not to have to rely on experience.

"The easiest thing for a manager is to build a team of 11 experienced players. That will get you results in the short term, but we are looking for long-term success."

Swansea took a first step towards proving Toshack wrong by chalking up a maiden win of their Spanish pre-season tour at Peralada on Saturday night.

Fed by Shaun MacDonald, Tom Butler skipped round his marker before rifling home from 10 yards to give Swansea a 15th-minute lead.

And after a clever pass from fellow countryman Andrea Orlandi, Guillem Bauza rolled a second into the far corner of the net eight minutes from time.

By then Swansea, who dominated against their amateur hosts, might easily have been half a dozen goals up.

But Owain Tudur Jones and Albert Serran both saw efforts ruled out for offside and a string of other opportunities went begging. Here it was wasteful finishing, and not a lack of Championship years, which cost Swansea.

"They'll do well to hold their own and stay out of trouble," Toshack had said.

"Swansea and Roberto Martinez have done ever so well, but it's such a tough division with a lot of money from teams looking for a Premiership return.

"Look at the Swansea squad, there's not much Championship-level experience.

"I've seen them train a few times and they are so enthusiastic and forward looking, but we'll have to see how everyone fits in.

"People will have to be patient. It's going to be a long, tough season for Swansea."