Swansea City have this evening confirmed that Brendan Rodgers has accepted a deal to become the new Liverpool manager. After a day of endless online speculation, the Welsh club have finally released a statement, with club chairman Huw Jenkins admitting the Irishman will now take the reins at the Merseyside giants:
I was contacted by Liverpool last night and they expressed their wish to speak to Brendan regarding their vacancy. I had a discussion with Brendan to talk about their interest and his views on whether he wanted to speak to Liverpool. He expressed his wish with me to do that and he has spoken to Liverpool today. Following on from discussions with Liverpool’s owners, Brendan has informed us that he would like to take up their offer to manage Liverpool.
Rodgers leaves Swansea after a hugely successful first campaign back in the top flight, where the Welsh club finished 11th and won a host of plaudits for their brand of possession football.
The former Chelsea reserve team boss will arrive at Liverpool with a huge task ahead of him. Despite the Carling Cup triumph and narrow FA Cup Final defeat, Liverpool undoubtedly define the term “sleeping giant” and Rodgers will be expected to not only bring his passing game to the existing squad but also build a set of players capable of challenging for the top four and, presumably, the title. Rodgers will feel a different kind of pressure for the next few seasons.
In Fantasy terms this appointment is an interesting one. Swansea were unique in the Premier League, in terms of starving opponents of possession and pressing them when without the ball. The involvement of the back four, particularly the full-backs, in pushing forward to support the midfield was also a feature of Swansea’s play that, in all likelihood, we’ll see Rodgers attempt to instill at Anfield.
Dominant possession, a slow patient build up from the back through central playmakers, with foraging full-backs providing width and, significantly, one central striker with a support midfielder, were the mainstays of Swansea’s game. It will be interesting to see how Rodgers can mould the existing Liverpool squad in this image and who he targets to help him make his mark. The role of Luis Suarez, in particular, will be intriguing.
The Swansea squad, with Leon Britton and Joe Allen set to be early targets, are surely set to feel the effects of Rodgers’ departure. The Welsh club not only have to replace one of the brightest young managers, they will surely have to fend off inevitable enquiries for key players from the former man in charge – their upcoming season now looks just as much uncertain as Liverpool’s.
