As title, when Rodgers was employed as Swansea manager I can't imagine he instantly got your players playing tika taka football, so how long did it take for him to coach the players/team to play this style? Personally I believe he has a hell of a job in teaching the mousers on how to play this style, which is why he has been trying to sign half your team as I think he realises its going to be a long hard slug unless he signs more Swansea players.
He didn't, we were already playing this way when he arrived here. He made a small tweak and signed sinclair, that is the only difference. This is why none of us here were to worried when he left. He inherited a squad on the up when he joined us, let's see how he does in a team that has been declining.
He didn't is the short answer. The longer answer is that Martinez was the principle architect of our style of play but was defensively naive. Paulo Sousa sorted that but emasculated the forward line. Rodgers came in and tweaked what the others had already provided by getting the balance right. Signing Sinclair was genius and was the main factor in our promotion. Not sour grapes (though it sounds like it I know) but most of us believe Rodgers is well out of his depth now, whilst we are progressing under a new manager who is adding his own style and flair to the mix.
The worst thing is, when you write it down it sounds bitter.. But it's really not, it's just what happened. Rodgers was good for us yes, but by no means was he irreplaceable or instrumental to how we play.
That is interesting, as that suggest's to me he is going to fall flat on his face as he seems to give this impression that he created this tika-taka style and that its his belief on how football should be played and he will go to Liverpool and turn them into a force. Now what you're saying is that he just tweaked an already established passing team, that played in this manner, no wonder he makes comments such as "it depends on what players you have", he can't teach Liverpool how to play this style when as you say some of their players are in decline.
It's a common myth, Boss. One spokesman from William Hill said that we'd struggle this season because "Rodgers was Swansea". We all laughed. Our footballing ethos comes from the Board (where the fans Trust have a presence) and the fans themselves. Our Chairman demands style, not just results, and deserves enormous credit. That's why he appointed a perfect fit in Laudrup. The myth of Rodgers has been perpetuated in the media time and again by people who should know better so it's understandable that the wider footballing fanbase from different clubs have bought it as well. Rodgers spins a great line - it's called good old fashioned Irish blarney. I genuinely didn't wish him ill when he left and could understand him taking the Liverpool job. He blotted his copybook by reneging on his agreement not to take our players for 12 months, but knowing about Allen's release clause made the appropriate bid. This is rarely mentioned in the media because he's their darling - for now. He's not a man of his word and isn't karma wonderful?
He tried changing too much at Reading apparently and didn't last long there. Swansea made Rogers to more of an extent than Rogers making Swansea. We were only a goal off the play offs under Sousa, Rogers just took us that one step further with the signings of Sinclair and Borini towards the end of the season. I honestly can't see him still being employed at Liverpool at Christmas. Teams started to suss us out last season and it looked to me yesterday as though West Brom knew what to expect. Trouble is, Rogers doesn't have a plan B, so when they were down they were screwed
Early days I know and perhaps we shouldn't read too much into it but Laudrup looks to have much more tactical nous.
Rodgers fitted us when he came here, we employed a manager who would have philosophy to continue playing the way we were already playing, the same for Sousa when he came to us. Martinez was the architect of our total football experiment, the others have continued this on. Huw Jenkins our chairman ensured we employed the right man, that is why we take a little longer to employ a new man, he has said that they must fit our philosophy and they are not to change it, laudrup comes from the best passing sides in the world bar none. Also Rodgers tried this at Reading and lasted just 5-6 months, the players couldn't adapt to him, given time I think they would have, but he's at Liverpool and they expect immediate results, he'll be gone by the new year I think.
The breaking of that agreement and making a bid for Allen was in my opinion showing what Rodgers is like as a man, as yes he does spin a great line, he is a great talker but his actions to me suggest he is someone that can't be trusted. I'll be watching your progress with great interest as not only do you have a complete gentleman now as your manager, he also has his own style and it should be an exciting season for Swansea.
Rogers was given his greatest break when Hue Jenkins brought him here to try to add to our already skillfull style of play sourced back to Martinez .He added what he could which was good enough to help us into the prem and we loved him for it, then he moved on to what he hopes are greater things not to mention bigger pay packets . Even though his timing was bad and scuppered the siggy deal we were glad of the money and if he had honoured his no coming back for our players in a year using inside knowledge to get Allen then we would have wished him well but it showed us that he is just a mercenary type that will smile at you while hes robbing you with his blarney, as the scousers will soon find out unless he with incredible good fortune is a success there. As far as how long will he take to get them playing with the style we have evolved to i recon about 4 years give or take . But if he feels pressured soon i think he will try all sorts to stay there as he loves being in the media so much, they can expect hoof ball to be thier game with him when he goes tits up.
Apparently he's trying to sign Caulker now if true it speaks volumes that he can't scout for anyone apart from swans and ex swans. Bloody hell he won't last long there
Trouble is Swim, the guy seems to have too much time on his hands and is blatantly bumping his own threads
The big difference between Sousa / Laudrup and Rogers is that Rogers never had a playing career. What he had was cut short very early on by injury. As a result his greatest strength is coaching a rigorous system, which based on our experience requires deep discipline on the part of each player and conformity. Sousa / Laudrup can coach systems, they have seen and played dozens of them through their careers, but can also reach each player and help them individually and encourage individual expression and flair when opportunity presents. This is going to realize the full potential in people like Dyer. For us, Rogers was a useful stepping stone, not a messiah. He coached to our existing philosophy and strengths, incrementally adding. He invented none of us.
I disagree. We won more points in the second half of the season than we did in the first. That doesn't suggest opposition sides wising up. You're right in the lack of a Plan B though. Where we dropped needless points was against opposition that managed to stifle us. We showed neither the inclination or ability to play a different way. Hopefully Laudrup will give us the best of both worlds.
