Russell Martin explains why Ryan Bennett can't get in the Swansea City team anymore

It wasn't that long ago that Ryan Bennett was one of the first names on the teamsheet at Swansea City.

After the highly-publicised and long, drawn out sale of local hero Joe Rodon to Tottenham Hotspur, he was hailed by Steve Cooper as the man to bring a welcome injection of experience to his young side.

Bennett's impression was so great, even Cooper's son was copying the centre-back's trademark, no-nonsense, shirt-tucked-in look, which in many ways embodied his often blood and thunder attitude towards defending.

But over a year on, and his position under possession obsessive and former Norwich City team-mate Russell Martin, now feels a little uncertain - from the outside at least.

After being left out of the squad for Monday's win over West Bromwich Albion, Bennett was once again overlooked for the 3-1 triumph over Coventry City at the weekend.

Indeed, he's now started just two of the last 11 games, although he was admittedly suspended for one of those outings.

It's perhaps never too wise to jump to conclusions, such is the haywire nature of things in SA1 in recent years.

But even so, it's difficult not to feel that there's at least some degree of significance to his persistent absence.

Martin did, to a certain extent, address Bennett's role shortly after the win over the Sky Blues, suggesting that the arrival of Finley Burns from Manchester City has perhaps caused him to slip down the pecking order of late.

"He's fine," the Swans boss replied when asked on the experienced defender's fitness after the win over the Sky Blues.

"Fin Burns came out of the team, and I thought it was really unfair out of the starting XI and then out of the squad because Fin did great in his last two games.

"Bristol City, he was excellent on