Planet Swans ArchivesThe Swansea City captain has clearly been won over by the new manager and is open in singing his praises as the squad prepares for Saturday's season opener at Hull.
Speaking to the Evening Post, Monk said "The manager is adaptable and approachable, which is a massive difference from last year
"As a player that's what you want from your manager.
"He has been honest with us from day one, which helps, and his training sessions have been second to none.
"Training has been tremendous since he came in.
"He hasn't had a great deal of time to work with us, but in the few weeks he has been here we couldn't really have done any more."
Monk says there has been a rise in enthusiasm for the task ahead since Rodgers was confirmed as Paulo Sousa's successor last month.
"It's a massively happier camp," he continues.
"Quite often it's the older lads in a squad who have to push everyone on, but the younger boys are raring to go too.]
"We are all hungry for success and now the manager has come in with the same philosophy
"Don't get me wrong, it's been hard again in terms of upheaval," he says.
"But as soon as the first training session with the new manager was done, you could see the boys were instantly happier. I think we are only going to get better working with the new gaffer.
"We are not quite at our sharpest yet, and our experience is going to have to get us through the first few games of the season.
"But after four or five games, as we get our football fitness and our sharpness up, I think you will see the best of us.
"It's important that we keep players like Prats and it would be nice to see Angel stay as well," he adds.
"We are not a selling club — we don't have to sell unless the deal is right for us.
"If good players do go, it's okay as long as good players come in. The board and the chairman have to replace those players properly and hopefully they will do that.
"When we didn't have a manager I feared for the club," the former Southampton defender concedes.
"But, hand on heart, since that first training session under the new gaffer there's been a totally different attitude. I can feel a desire in the squad.
"Last season we proved a few people wrong, but this year people on the outside are again thinking we might be in some trouble. On the inside, though, it's not like that."
