Rodgers takes up Anfield hotseat

Carnlough man Brendan Rodgers has officially been announced as the new boss of Liverpool Football Club.

“I‘m proud, as you can imagine, to become only the second Northern Irish manager in the history of the club. It’s a club with wonderful tradition and I feel very blessed with the opportunity to manage the club,” he said at a press conference at Anfield this morning (Friday).

Former Swansea boss Rodgers turned down a chance to speak with the Merseyside giants earlier this month but said: “When Liverpool came back in a second time and told me I was the number one choice then, of course, you have to think seriously about it.”

He said he spoke with Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins who gave him permission to speak with Liverpool. “Once I found out I was the number one target... then it was quite an easy decision,” he said.

The 39-year-old was asked how he was going to manage the challenge of taking charge of a club of Liverpool’s stature.

“My pathway as a young coach and manager has been different to most. Even though I am young in age I have actually been coaching and working in football nearly 20 years. I had four-and-a-half fantastic years at Chelsea Football Club where I had the experience of working with big players,” he replied.

“Footballers are footballers. They want to learn, they want to improve and that’s something that I have done with all types of players , young and senior throughout my career,” he added.

Rodgers, who guided Swansea City to 13th place in the Premier League last season, said the history and the values at Anfield attracted him to the role and said he wants to defend the principles of the club which, he said, is about “offensive, creative football but with tactical discipline”.

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