Rodgers wants to follow Pool greats
The 39-year-old conducted himself impressively as he was presented to the media having been officially confirmed as the man owners Fenway Sports Group hope will deliver their vision to restore the Reds’ former glories.
Dalglish’s sacking just over a fortnight ago after FSG decided an eighth-placed finish — 17 points adrift of the top four — left his predecessor in a seemingly unenviable position following in the footsteps of ‘King Kenny’.
But Rodgers, as demonstrated in his handling of negotiations with the Americans when he initially turned them down and then told them in interview he would not work with a director of football, is his own man.
“I will never replace Kenny Dalglish, that is the reality. I have so much respect for him,” said Rodgers.
“This is a guy who was voted the best player in the history of the club, a legend of a manager here and a fantastic man.
“I can only be Brendan Rodgers and do the very best I can for the football club.
Rodgers was initially approached two weeks ago but refused to entertain the idea of being just another number in a long line of potential candidates FSG were sounding out.
He insisted he was not worried by his rejection of the Reds’ advances and his confidence in his own ability bore fruit when they returned a second time with a much more positive message.
It was an approach he admitted he would have been foolish to turn down.
“I just moved on straight from it,” he said of Liverpool’s initial approach.
“I was very clear when the chairman (Huw Jenkins) rang me and said he had an offer from them asking to speak.
“I said ‘Did they say I was the number one target?’ and he said ‘No, they just want to speak to you’.
“I said ’Fine. I have no reason to be in a process if I’m not the number one candidate’.
“I didn’t want to disrespect the values of Liverpool and I didn’t want to disrespect Swansea, I just wanted to continue my work.
“But then when Liverpool come calling a second time you need to be a brave man to turn it down.
“I am brave in what I do and what I play but for me when they came back and said I was the number one target I would have walked here.
“Huw has known all along of other club’s interest in me and he always knew my commitment to Swansea but he knew one day I would go to a big club because it was something which was an ambition.”
Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins has revealed an agreement is in place to prevent Rodgers signing players from his former club for 12 months.
“We have got some protection on Brendan coming back for our players in the initial period, which I think is the right thing,” Jenkins said.
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