Brendan Rodgers, new LFC Manager

Today Liverpool Football Club announced 39 year old Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers as new first team manager, replacing Club legend Kenny Dalglish.

While the rumours of the appointment have bounced around for a while, the fans seem to have been split in their opinions on Rodgers.  They feel he is too young.  They feel he is not experienced enough.  They point to the disastrous stint of young manager Andre Villas Boas at Chelsea.  Well, let me offer my opinion on the matter, and perhaps some balance.

Brendan Rodgers, while only 39, has 20 years experience in the game working with youth team players and with senior professionals and senior internationals.  He has also worked under some of the top managers and coaches in world football.  There is a long list of players and managers who will talk him up and confirm his credentials, including Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson.  High praise indeed!  A large chunk of the current first-team squad at Chelsea have worked with Brendan at some point and all speak highly of him and his methods.

At the press conference to announce his appointment, Rodgers was asked about the mixed reaction he has been receiving from the fans.  He replied: "I'm not going to make any false promises to anyone.  I'm a realist.  I will fight for Liverpool Football Club and I will fight for myself.  I have a firm belief on how the game should be played and I will look to instill that in the players here.  By doing this, hopefully I can earn the respect of the fans."

An insight into the type of man Brendan Rodgers is came through his comments regarding his previous Club, Swansea City: "I'd like to offer my deepest gratitude to Swansea City and the nation of Wales.  I've had a fantastic 2 years there and helped create history as we became the first Welsh Club to play in the Barclay's Premier League.  I have, and will continue to have, a great relationship with their Chairman Huw Jenkins.  I had a good relationship with the Welsh people and the media there.  I am, of course, very sad to leave.  I always said that if I was to leave Swansea City it would only be for a top Club.  I'd like to think of Liverpool as a destination and I hope that I can be here for many years."

I have had previous personal experience of Brendan Rodgers when we spent ten days together in the US some years ago.  Brendan was youth coach at Chelsea FC Under-19's, while I was working as physio with Shamrock Rovers Under-19's, both competing at the Dallas Cup.  Our two Clubs had been designated the same floor of the same hotel so we interacted quite a lot during our time there.  Brendan struck me as a very down to earth, personable type of guy with lots of time for everyone.  He chatted with our players regularly and he left a lasting impression on all of us.  You could see the respect that all of the Chelsea players and staff had for him.  I am still in touch with one of those Chelsea players today and he has always only had good things to say about the man.

I personally think this is the right choice for Liverpool Football Club.  I think Rodgers is the perfect fit and I hope and pray that he is given the time and space to do the job because I am certain he will be a massive success at the Club.  He will have them back playing the right way and he will behave with integrity, the way a Liverpool manager should.  At least his media interviews will be watchable, respectful and informative; something that could not be said for his predecessor.

I think this could be the start of something special for Liverpool Football Club and I, for one, will be watching with interest at the path the Club now takes.  I wish you well Brendan and I hope You'll Never Walk Alone.