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Brendan Rodgers was the man Liverpool’s American owners wanted all along. It transpires that Wigan’s manager Roberto Martinez was merely a smokescreen aided and abetted by his verbose Chairman Dave Whelan who was claiming this time last week that Martinez was Liverpool’s new manager subject to crossing the “T’s” and dotting the “I’s”.

The one obstacle I believed may have prevented Rodgers from accepting the job was quietly removed during the last forty eight hours. They were keen to appoint Luis Van Gaal as Director of Football with responsibilities for signing players and monitoring transfers. Rodgers insisted on total control and The American owners happily agreed.

The national press has irritated me to distraction by concentrating on what Rodgers has to do to return Liverpool to former glories and completely ignoring the predicament that faces Swans Chairman Huw Jenkins. Jenkins has revealed great skill in plucking managers from obscurity only to experience the exit door slammed in his face as they leave for greater reward in pastures new. Ironically Roberto Martinez walked out in 2009 to take the reins at Wigan having previously pledged his loyalty to the club who gave him his first opportunity in management.

Souza succeeded him for one season before leaving for a king’s ransom at Leicester City which proved to be his poisoned chalice. In 2010, Brendan Rodgers was unemployed having been unceremoniously sacked by Reading. Jenkins gave him a second chance which he gratefully and successfully accepted. But one wonders if Swansea is used as a nursery for developing young managers who believe the grass is always greener on the other side. It was only in February that Rodgers signed a 31/2 year contract, but a five million pound compensation clause was included if he chose to walk  to help compensate the blow of his potential departure to another club.

It is only a couple of months since Rodgers was the bookies’ favorite to succeed Harry Redknapp at Spurs when everyone except the FA assumed that Del Boy Harry would replace Fabio Capello as England manager. Swansea fans breathed a sigh of relief when Roy Hodgson was appointed, but Rodgers was also in the frame for the vacant Chelsea hot seat.

Rodgers is taking his backroom staff with him to help implant his intricate passing style on some very cynical and egotistical Liverpool professionals. One wonders how Steve Gerrard will react to a more technical approach which may negate his customary free role. Can Andy Carroll’s old fashioned center forward style be adapted to Rodgers’s requirements?  Will expensive misfits Charlie Adam, Stuart Downing and Jordan Henderson fit the Rodgers mantra? Quite frankly I don’t care a jot on whether Rodgers is the second coming since Shankly.

My thoughts and concerns are with Swansea City. Quality managers suitable for the premiership are not easy to find, and one can only hope that Huw Jenkins and his board can pluck another rabbit from the hat. I’m also worried that Rodgers may poach a few of his former players. The Swans have just agreed a club record fee for the Iceman, but it will surprise nobody if he follows Rodgers to Liverpool.

In mitigation, Rodgers behaved impeccably during the negotiations with Liverpool which is more than can be said for Norwich manager Paul Lambert who walked out on his club to pursue the vacancy at Aston Villa. I don’t quite know what to believe with Roberto Martinez. According to reports he was the favorite for the Aston Villa and Liverpool jobs, but supposedly is returning to Wigan looking like a hapless loser.

Rodgers’ motto at Swansea was “Per Ardua Ad Astra,” a Latin phrase which means “through adversity to the stars.” The only thing shining in Rodgers eyes right now are dollar signs proffered by Liverpool’s American owners.

 The new season will be the club’s centenary and Swansea have dealt with more adversity than most during their checkered past. Let’s hope they can rise again from this latest setback.

Roberto Mancini, manager of premiership contenders Man City, predicted that his fierce rivals Man United would have an easy game with opponents Swansea City. Okay he was playing mind games with Alex Ferguson, but he was absolutely right. I was hoping that the Swans would stuff his words down his throat and achieve at least a draw with United, but it was not to be.  It was the biggest capitulation since the Germans walked around France’s supposedly impenetrable Maginot Line at the beginning of World War 2.

I have been a Swans supporter since 1961 when I accompanied my dad to watch my first game on the North Bank at the Vetch Field.  I have witnessed some great games and incomparable players over the years, and also suffered through some heart breaking losses; none more so than the 1-6 drubbing at home to Workington Town and a 0-5 home defeat to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. Nevertheless the 0-2 loss to Man Utd was embarrassing.  The Swans weren’t looking for a result, but were hell bent on damage limitation.

Man City had beaten Newcastle earlier in the day, and a United win against the Swans would leave them level on points, but with a vastly inferior goal difference compared to City’s.  The talking heads suggested that United needed a hatful of goals against the Swans and were quite capable of getting them. From the kick off, the Swans’ mindset was to keep the score down to reasonable proportions. I don’t believe they had a decent shot on goal until well into the second half.

Swans manager Brendan Rodgers has had a great season keeping his team in the premiership with limited resources, but his tactics were completely wrong for this match. Gower in a pivotal central midfield was playing his first game in 2012, and was unsurprisingly way off the pace which led to his merciful substitution at half time. Two or three others could have followed him because they were chasing shadows; making a mediocre United team look like world beaters.

Fullbacks Rangel and Taylor were continually exposed by the guile and pace of Valencia and Young, and some of their challenges were naïve. Only central defenders Williams, Caulker, goalkeeper Michael Vorm and to a lesser extent Nathan Dyer are absolved from any criticism.

The team and manager deserve plaudits for retaining their premiership status, but they were clearly intimidated by United and Old Trafford when there was really no need to be. United had lost 1-6 at home to City earlier in the season and more recently 0-1 to their arch rivals. The Swans recorded an unforgettable victory as recently as last month against champions elect Manchester City which should have sufficiently lifted the team to greater heights against their illustrious opponents.

Okay, let’s regroup for next season, and end on a positive note with a decisive win over visitors Liverpool in the final game of the season. In 1961, the Swans also played Liverpool in the final match of the season. Liverpool had just gained promotion to the top flight as champions of the division but were soundly beaten 4-2 by a rampaging Swans. A similar result on Saturday would not go amiss.

Last Saturday Swansea City gained a point against Wolverhampton Wanderers which ensured they are mathematically safe from relegation. However, the manner of achieving the point leaves a lot to be desired. Wolves were already relegated and therefore were playing for their professional pride.

The Swans were leading 3-0 after 16 minutes and 4-1 at halftime. By the final whistle they were clinging onto a 4-4 score line having inexplicably conceded three goals in the second half. It could be construed that Wolves have some kind of Indian sign on the Swans when one examines the two premiership games played between the two teams this season.

In the away fixture, the Swans were comfortably leading 2-0 with 10 minutes to go when Wolves managed to get a goal back against the run of play. The Swans decided to defend their lead handing the initiative to Wolves who equalized late in the game to earn a 2-2 draw.

Realistically, the Swans have needlessly dropped 4 points in the two games against Wolves which would have placed them in the top 10 of the premiership. Brendan Rodgers changed his usual line up and formation which gave them additional attacking options while leaving them vulnerable at the back.

 Club captain Gary Monk confirmed once again he is totally out of his depth at this level and it is time that he and Alan Tate were awarded their gold watches for loyal service and put out to pasture. Signing Steven Caulker on another loan deal or even better a permanent transfer should be a number one priority. Unfortunately Spurs have defensive problems of their own with the continual deterioration of Ledley King suffering from increasingly debilitating knee injuries, and they may wise up and decide Caulker could solve their defensive frailties’.

I sincerely hope that the Swans learned an invaluable lesson from their meltdown against Wolves; the lesson  according to Brian Clough and Bob Paisley is that you cannot afford to take your foot off the throttle against any premiership team. Manchester Utd will attest to the theory having recently blown a 4-2 lead to Everton which also concluded 4-4, and may even cost them the title.

Speaking of United, Swansea’s match at Old Trafford on Sunday has great significance on which Manchester team wins the title. The two Manchester teams are now level on points with City’s better goal difference placing them in top spot with two games remaining.

City travel to Newcastle who are revitalized this season despite last week’s 0-4 drubbing at lowly Wigan. Roberto Mancini, City’s erudite Italian manager claims that United have an “easy” game against Swansea compared to their monumental encounter in the North East. I appreciate Mancini is playing mind games with the past master Alex Ferguson, but I would dearly love the Swans to take Old Trafford by storm and show the greasy Italian and the world they can truly compete with the big boys.