I guess we all hoped it wouldn’t happen but Brendan has gone, let’s take the time to thank him for the memories
Two years ago when he arrived in Swansea he was – it is fair to say – not the first choice of many but his belief in his style convinced the Chairman that he was the right man for the job and history says that once again Mr Jenkins had the decision spot on.
Brendan became the first manager to lift a Welsh team into the Premier League – a feat he achieved at the first time of asking and last season he took the name of Swansea City and made it popular to hundreds of millions of people. And that’s no exaggeration.
The brand of football that we graced the Premier League with last season got media pundits on our side very quickly and we rapidly becamse everyone’s favourite second team it seemed. Headlines such as ‘Swans outpass the pass masters’ after we beat Arsenal becamse common place and during the season it wasn’t just Arsenal but Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea who were outplayed at the Liberty Stadium.
The Swans ended the season a respectable 11th place and optimism was high that Brendan would stay and build on the foundations that he had formed at the Liberty.
But the lure of Liverpool was clearly too much and the Swans start their search for another manager. And for that I cannot hate Brendan, he has taken on a job at one of the most illustrious names in European Football and it was difficult to see how he could turn it down. When he first did so I was slightly amazed but chuffed but a change of heart from both Liverpool and Brendan and he is on his way.
Brian Flynn, Kenny Jackett, Roberto Martinez, Paulo Sousa and Brendan Rodgers are the last 5 managers employed at the club and each of them has taken us to a higher plane then their predecessor. I have confident that the next name on that list will do the same thing. Whoever, Huw and the board decide is the man to replace Brendan they will do so with the same belief that they applied when they offered Brendan the job when many would not have taken that chance.
And whilst ‘big’ names are being linked to the job we all know that it will be the manager who shows the most passion and belief in continuing the style that got us so many fans last season. And it may be another young ambitious manager and it may just be one who gives us just 1, 2 or 3 years but it will be a great time just as the two years was under Brendan
I will never forget that magical day at Wembley last May or the disbelief as Arsenal and Man City left the Liberty empty handed. I will never forget us outplaying Liverpool at Anfield or destroying Fulham at Craven Cottage. Wins at Villa and West Brom, beating Liverpool at home, watching Chelsea sneak a point they didn’t deserve or feeling the East Stand shake as Darren Pratley took us to Wembley. The memories are endless and I will always hold them and thank Brendan for allowing us to experience them.
He may have moved on, we may be undertaking a search that we didn’t want to undertake but it’s difficult to be bitter to a man who has set this football club up for years with our solid finances.
Good luck in your new challenge Brendan and Swansea City will move on from this – onwards and upwards as it has been for pretty much the last 10 years at this wonderful club and who would argue that in 12 months time we haven’t hailed a new hero as Huw looks for a new name for the manager’s office.
Thanks for the memories – who are we?
