"We must be the only Championship club that showers with its supporters" - Brendan Rodgers A tiny office, scarcely larger than a broom cupboard, in the Glamorgan Health & Racquets Club just outside Neath would not be Jose Mourinho's idea of a command centre, and yet this is where his protégé Brendan Rodgers, once Chelsea's reserve team coach, is plotting to take Swansea City back to the big time. "I had three and a half years with Jose," says Rodgers. "It was like being at Harvard University." This office is too small to fill with negativity, however, so let's contemplate promotion. They say there's such a thing as not being ready for the Premier League; does Rodgers think the Swans are ready to stick their necks out in such august company? At this point Rodgers takes two strides to the other side of his office and picks up a bundle of diagrams, detailing his forthcoming training exercises. Multi-coloured and minutely detailed, they could just as easily be infantry plans for the Battle of the Bulge. "This is what Jose taught me," he says. "And when the players see them, they are energised. They think 'he's put some thought into this'." Swansea seemed like a good fit, and on being appointed last summer Rodgers promptly moved his family from Reading, where he had lived since moving from Northern Ireland. South Wales reminds him of home, he says. "It's very working-class, and the people are fantastic. I say to every player I bring here, the likes of Scotty Sinclair, 'don't just come for the football, come and enjoy the life down here'." It could yet be, of course, that South Wales has a pair of Premier League clubs next season. Does he relish the idea, or has he bought into the fans' notion that nothing except fire and brimstone is to be wished upon Cardiff City? He smiles. "I understand that mentality. A lot of people think Wales finishes at Cardiff. They've put a multi-billion pound investment into the train track from London, and cut it off at Cardiff. But the Premier League will be a better place if it has two Welsh teams, with all that passionate support." Of course I have my goals. I've had a smell of the Champions League with Chelsea, and I want to manage at that level. But I'm looking no further than Swansea as a place to achieve my ambitions." He might need a slightly bigger office. - The Independent The full Brian Viner Interview: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/p...ea-it-felt-like-someone-had-died-2271087.html
Rodgers was given a good team partly because of hard work from past managers . Buck was also given tons of backing by Jenkins , to bring in players he had an inside track on , to build his team . Jenkins & Rodgers have built a great team out of a good team , working together , in a spirit of financial responsibility , financial responsibility that is as important as winning these days IMO .
The next few weeks will give us a good idea of what Buck and the team are made of. It looks like the playoffs, hope I'm wrong but no matter what we've seen a fair more attractive style of play compared to last season
The only team that would concern me in the playoffs is Norwich based on their performance at the Liberty. Cardiff and Reading would be dangerous; Leeds, Burnley or anyone else, I would fancy us to be honest. It would be great to go up via the autos but, realistically, my mind is now assessing the merits of our likely competition in the play off places. Always assuming we make it there, of course.
That`s the point, we have to get there first. Our away form lately, to be polite, is practically non-existent. I wonder if Ash will help Pompey with another special. We need to start getting our act together, to get the points for that play off place.
Breezy (Crackerjack) well said, and your very correct, and sometimes we take that for granted with our expectations as fans! Dilli the boys do seem to be making a Gaff of things, but you are right, we are back on track with the football this season, much improved on Sousa, though defensively we need some new blood. Ivor that's how I see it too, could not agree more, our two home games should see us in the play-offs, but our away form has collapsed this season, games simply thrown away, and what makes this bizarre is that under Sousa, and particularly Martinez we had some good away form, so Rodgers will need to put his thinking cap on, if he is to get the four remaining games in the bag, as he wants, after last nights article in the EP, but whatever it's been a good season, just hope it does not finish like last season's though! Up the Mighty Swans............................ please log in to view this image
swainseye it's not just Ash, all our back line need to pull they're finger out, Monk is looking fragile too, with being out so long this season, I hope Rodgers has tweaked the defence for these last four games, and Ash does need to hold his concentration for 90 minutes!.................. please log in to view this image
Did jones ever tell you he worked with Ballamy!!!............................... please log in to view this image
Only one thing I got to say to you two jealous troglodytes, take a look at Dave Jone's tight whinging face next time befor you speak girls!!! They don't come any better..................... please log in to view this image
Sparkey that must have taken some voltage out of you! can see the sparks flying as you where typing!!! Should think you'll need a lie down after that one........................ please log in to view this image
It's like a who's who on here now, stopped on 606 a while back due to an absolute cretin on there, good to see there's no sign of him on here and before you ask, no I'm not talking about John Hughs either, it was a Jack I'm sorry to say. Well we can't go up auto now so it'll have to be the playoffs, so good luck to your lads Aber, I'd love to see both clubs in the Prem. I dont even want to think about a potential final between our clubs at Wembley, I reckon the police must be having nightmares already.
Auto prom gone then but you still need to match readin or they go into the play-offs with home advantage second.
Aber, it was ladyboi mate an absolute prat if there ever was one. He accused me of giving an article of his a 1star but the final straw was when he was calling me all sorts of names because I dared to have real conversations with quite a few Bluebirds and don't subscribe to his pathetic views of "hating" Cardiff. Christ I got less abuse off John Hughs. Just like yourself I like a good laugh and don't take things too seriously and he didn't like the fact that we always had a laugh on 606 and I can't even repeat what abuse I got when I wished you lot all the best in last seasons play off final. Hope he doesn't find this site
Dilli Ladyboi is a complete fool, an absolute prat of the highest order, and if he comes on here I will make it my personal goal to give him a right welcome he will never forget, but I some how think I won't be on my own! A most obnoxious little character I've ever come across!.................... please log in to view this image
