Steve Cooper: 'Promotion push' remains the target for Swansea City this season

Steve Cooper says a "promotion push" remains the target for Swansea City this season despite their inconsistent form.

Cooper declared after taking over last summer that Swansea could compete for a return to the Premier League in 2019-20.

And though his team have won only five of their last 19 league games, the Swansea head coach remains optimistic.

"This football club and the fans deserve that," Cooper said.

While they have lost only twice on the road in the Championship this season, Swansea's record on their own ground is poor.

They will go in search of only a third league victory in 11 home games when they face Charlton Athletic on Thursday.

"Even though we know we are building a little bit and a lot of the football club is in its infancy, we still think we can be competitive in every game and, if you do that more often than not, you give yourself a chance of having a promotion push.

"We are just outside the play-offs knowing we haven't picked up as many points as we could have. That should give us confidence to kick on, but you have got to make that happen."

Swansea made an extraordinary start to the season, banking 16 points from their first six Championship games under Cooper.

But a frustrating goalless draw with Barnsley last weekend means the Swans have taken just 22 points from their last 19 league outings.

Having led the way in the early stages of the campaign, Swansea are now fighting to get back into the top six.

"At times over the first half of the season we have looked really good and won games through good play, and there are other times where we haven't quite been at the level and had some frustrating results, particularly at home," Cooper added.

"I think that's where we are a little bit. On our day we can beat anybody, but we have got to make sure we have more of those days.

"We have lost a couple of games when we should have drawn and we have been ahead in games and ended up drawing. We have got to be clinical when it comes to getting over the line.

"I remember talking about that right at the start of the season. At times we have done it well but there's still a need to improve."