No Reading ill-feeling, says Swansea's Brendan Rodgers

[readingbedding]

Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers said there will be "no animosity" on his part towards Reading when the sides meet in the Championship final on 30 May.

Rodgers was sacked by the Royals after just six months in charge in 2009.

But the Northern Irishman, who spent 14-years in all at Reading as a player, coach and then manager, insisted the experience made him a better manager.

"I had a disappointing spell there as a manager, but I learnt many great things from that," he said.

"And that will probably set me up now for the rest of my career. I cannot forget the other 14 years I had there being involved with the club.

"So there's no animosity - nothing other than it's a game we want to be professional in and a game that we want to win."

Rodgers took charge of Reading before the start of last season, but managed just five league wins during his tenure at the Madejski Stadium, winning just once at home.

The results left the Berkshire side lying just one place clear of the relegation zone in the Championship, and the board ran out of patience.



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Swansea 3-1 Nottingham Forest (agg 3-1)
Reading chairman Sir John Madejski said he recognised the "irony of football" as the man he hired and fired now stands between his club and a return to the Premier League after a three-season absence.

"I never had any problems with Brendan at all, we're very good chums and he's a good manager," said Madejski after watching his side beat Cardiff City 3-0 in the play-off semi-final second leg in the Welsh capital on Tuesday.

"It didn't work out for him at Reading, but we always knew it would work out somewhere and it's proved to be the case. He's done a fantastic job for Swansea and he's a very nice gentleman."

Rodgers said he arrived at Swansea last summer with a new determination and vision after evaluating his career following his Reading dismissal.

He has found instant success in south Wales, building on the solid foundations and footballing principles laid down by Roberto Martinez, who guided the Swans to Championship promotion in 2008.

"The six months I had out after leaving [Reading] allowed me to reflect," Rodgers told BBC Wales Sport.

"It has made me a better manager. Obviously at the time it was difficult, but certainly the learning that took place for me after that was fantastic.

"It allowed me to refocus and focus in on what I had to do to become a better manager."

The mouth-watering prize now within Rodgers' reach is a place among English football's elite and a potential £90m cash injection for a club that changed hands for a £1 less than 10 years ago.

But he said: "If you thought too much about the games along that line, you wouldn't play the game.

"For us it's really about the performance level - getting out there and doing what we've done all season, which is playing our style of football and bringing that to the opponent.

"The difference between winning and losing is very, very minimal, but the consequences are massive."

[Svlad Cjelli]

Yep - and the real irony is that he'd probably not be doing so well at Swansea if he'd not learnt from some of the mistakes he made here.

Still one of our own, though ....

[Sarah Star]

He always looks quite wistful when talking about Reading, as if thinking of what could have been...

[Snowball]

I love "stating the obvious BS"

"For us it's really about the performance level - getting out there and doing what we've done all season, which is playing our style of football and bringing that to the opponent.

"The difference between winning and losing is very, very minimal, but the consequences are massive."

[Hugo Boss]

He says all this, but he'll be absolutely itching to turn us over so he can stick two fingers up to a certain member of the board at the Club.

[Sarah Star]

It's the art of management-speak: say a lot without giving anything away.

[Svlad Cjelli]

He says all this, but he'll be absolutely itching to turn us over so he can stick two fingers up to a certain member of the board at the Club.

He's probably a lot more motivated in the chance to be a manager of a PL club, together with the boost to his CV and salary that promotion would give, tbh.

[Royal Lady]

Recorded the game on Tuesday night - "just in case" and wasn't surprised in the least that he credited himself for Shane Long playing and bringing in McAnuff (who apparently couldn't get a game at Watford). I cannot help but dislike the man - it may be irrational, but there's just something about him.

[rfcjoe]

Brendan's a top lad.

[Great Knolly]

He is a decent manager - potentially very good, but was too much of an idealist while at Reading, letting his principles get in the way of just getting some wins. I think over time he now realises his sacking was the correct decision.

He lived in Reading for a long time, and must have felt some guilt about having to move his family to a different part of the country.

I wish him all the best except on the 30th.

[Hugo Boss]

He says all this, but he'll be absolutely itching to turn us over so he can stick two fingers up to a certain member of the board at the Club.

He's probably a lot more motivated in the chance to be a manager of a PL club, together with the boost to his CV and salary that promotion would give, tbh.

Couldn't agree more, but you can't deny that deep down he'll be over the moon to "put one over us" so to speak for other reasons.

[Svlad Cjelli]

He says all this, but he'll be absolutely itching to turn us over so he can stick two fingers up to a certain member of the board at the Club.

He's probably a lot more motivated in the chance to be a manager of a PL club, together with the boost to his CV and salary that promotion would give, tbh.

Couldn't agree more, but you can't deny that deep down he'll be over the moon to "put one over us" so to speak for other reasons.

Yes, the icing on the cake - but only aimed a certain people in the club.

[Hugo Boss]

Naturally.

[johnnym]

He says all this, but he'll be absolutely itching to turn us over so he can stick two fingers up to a certain member of the board at the Club.

He's probably a lot more motivated in the chance to be a manager of a PL club, together with the boost to his CV and salary that promotion would give, tbh.

Couldn't agree more, but you can't deny that deep down he'll be over the moon to "put one over us" so to speak for other reasons.

I would imagine that we'd have similar feelings too

[Royal Rother]

On 2 occasions on Tuesday he spoke about "we" and "us" when referring to Reading.

I wonder what Swansea fans thought about that!

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

...best to not forget that Brendan hasn't gone to Swansea and made them the team they are now..

..Martinez is the person credited with bringing the brand of football to the pitch.

..De Souza, decided to dismantle it during his tenure, and BR has simply brought it back, with most of the squad that played under Martinez...which he has complemented with the likes of Sinclair and Borini.

..so he hasnt started from a blank bit of paper and performed miracles...only Jose can perform miracles!

[swansea jack]

...best to not forget that Brian hasn't gone to Reading and made them the team they are now..

..Coppell is the person credited with bringing the brand of football to the pitch.

..BIG WATCH, decided to dismantle it during his tenure, and McD has simply brought it back, with most of the squad that played under Coppell...which he has complemented with the likes of Leighterwood and Griffin.

..so he hasnt started from a blank bit of paper and performed miracles...only SAF can perform miracles!

Corrected for you

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

...best to not forget that Brian hasn't gone to Reading and made them the team they are now..

..Coppell is the person credited with bringing the brand of football to the pitch.

..BIG WATCH, decided to dismantle it during his tenure, and McD has simply brought it back, with most of the squad that played under Coppell...which he has complemented with the likes of Leighterwood and Griffin.

..so he hasnt started from a blank bit of paper and performed miracles...only SAF can perform miracles!

Corrected for you

Swansea Jack ....Swansea fans think that Rodgers is the Messiah (aka son of Joseus! )... and for reference , hardly any of the team playing now under BM played for Coppell so sorry SJ you need to do your research ..... Kebe did and occasionally Long & Feds and rarely and of the guys like Karacan and Church ...BM built his team ..BR didnt !

[Maquisard]

No ill-feelings about Brendan from me - as Svlad says, he's one of ours and he had a tough job trying to create a team out of a bunch of individuals who'd either been left behind in the fire sale (low morale) or were completely new to the club and one another ("what colour shirts are we wearing?"). Not an easy task but I think he was getting there slowly - there was evidence towards the end of his stint that the team was beginning to gel. Having said that, obviously the players were a lot more comfortable with Brian's "keep it simple" approach than with the complexities that Brendan tried to introduce.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Swansea Jack ....Swansea fans think that Rodgers is the Messiah (aka son of Joseus! )... and for reference , hardly any of the team playing now under BM played for Coppell so sorry SJ you need to do your research ..... Kebe did and occasionally Long & Feds and rarely and of the guys like Karacan and Church ...BM built his team ..BR didnt !

Let's not forget, BMc built much of Steve Coppell's team. He was chief scout, so no players came here without his say-so - Doyle & Long, plus Kitson, certainly came here only after BMc had approved them.