Rodgers turns down Liverpool approach

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers not interested in talks with Liverpool over managerial vacancy at Anfield.

Roberto Martinez
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers declined the tempting Anfield offer, but Wigan counterpart Roberto Martinez has been granted permission by his club to open talks [GETTY]

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers rejected an approach from Liverpool on Friday to discuss replacing the fired Kenny Dalglish at their English Premier League rivals.

The American-owned club is planning to interview several managers before making an appointment, having already been granted permission by Wigan on Thursday to speak to Roberto Martinez.

Rodgers will not be speaking to Liverpool after pledging to stick with Swansea, who beat Liverpool on the last day of an impressive debut Premier League campaign on Sunday.

Swansea appeased

“An approach from Liverpool FC to speak to manager Brendan Rodgers was officially received by chairman Huw Jenkins this morning,” Swansea said Friday.

“The club is pleased to confirm that Brendan has declined the current opportunity to speak to the Anfield club about the vacant position.”

Agreeing to be interviewed by Liverpool and then being rejected by the Premier League rivals could have made it tough for Rodgers to return to the Swansea job. Rodgers steered Swansea to an 11th-place finish, just five points behind eighth-place Liverpool and the club were lauded for their slick, passing football.

“The Swansea manager is currently working hard to strengthen the squad in readiness for the new Barclays Premier League campaign,” the south Wales club said.

Dalglish was fired on Wednesday after Liverpool failed to challenge for a place in the Premier League’s top four and a return to the lucrative European Champions League.

The Boston Red Sox ownership group, who run Liverpool, are overhauling the senior management at the 18-time English champions. Dalglish is the latest senior figure to leave Anfield in recent weeks, following the exit of the director of football, head of sports medicine and communications chief.

“We may have lost our way a little in terms of performances but it is still one of the biggest football clubs in the world,” Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said Thursday.

“I still think this is one of the biggest jobs in world football.”

Source: AP