Rodgers: Lessons learned from Reading experience

Brendan Rodgers believes the defining moment in his career so far is not getting the Liverpool job but losing the one he had at Reading.

Brendan Rodgers believes the defining moment in his career so far is not getting the Liverpool job but losing the one he had at Reading.

After guiding Watford away from the npower Championship relegation zone he was head-hunted by the Royals but just five months into the season he left in December 2009 after a run of disappointing results.

It was not long before he was back in work, however, taking over at Swansea the following summer and the success he had there in taking the club to the Premier League earned him his chance at Liverpool.

But the 39-year-old is far too realistic to believe he has made it as a top-level manager and still looks back on his ill-fated spell at Reading as a pivotal moment.

"I probably became more clinical after that," he said. "I went in there looking to change things too quickly.

"I went in thinking: 'Right, the club want a new vision, a new philosophy' and I felt if I stripped it down quickly and let it build then that would be OK.

"But what I realised after that was you are still in the business of winning.

"You talk about football, creativity and invention, but you have to win games - as simple as that.

"That was something very important to me on reflection when I came away from Reading.

"When I went in to Swansea I knew very well I could still work with the same philosophy and identity but I would have to get to the end point quicker.

"That allowed me to round off everything I do and how I work with players and it brought me success at Swansea.

"That six months at Reading over the course of a nearly 20-year period coaching and managing has been great learning for me.

"Hopefully that will be the defining moment of my career."

Rodgers has already demonstrated his strength of character in rejecting Liverpool's initial approach because he did not want to be another name in a long list of candidates.

He needed to know he was more than just a contender, he needed to be told he was the only contender.

Once he received that assurance from the Reds' second approach the decision to leave the Liberty Stadium, while difficult, was an obvious one.

And the Northern Irishman arrived at Anfield on Friday ready to go straight to work on turning around the club's faltering fortunes by trusting in the principles which have served him so well since he began coaching children at the age of 20 after a knee condition ended his playing career.

"I have an inherent belief in what I do and the way I work and I will fight for my life to get Liverpool back on track," he insisted.

"For me it is simple. I have three promises I always take into a club and it will be the same here.

"First, my communication is open. I speak with players and I speak with people and I respect people.

"Wherever they sit in the hierarchy of a club organisation my door will always be open.

"Secondly I promise quality, quality in my work. I have studied nearly 20 years to be the very best I can and that has taken me through working with kids to coaching top players at Chelsea.

"My work will be quality, the players will enjoy the work and think that bit differently in how we play.

"The third thing I bring is ambition. The most important thing is the club's success.

"Of those three things I can give no more. If the club or anyone else needs anything else I can't bring it but I promise those three things."

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