Liverpool News: Brendan Rodgers Hiring Expected to Propel Reds

Liverpool unveiled its new manager in a Friday press conference that featured the proud new boss predicting a positive future with the club.

Brendan Rodgers is joining Liverpool after only two years with Swansea City to answer the call of the owners, Boston-based Fenway Sports Group.

Liverpool has been criticized right out of the gate for hiring someone with a short career as a manager, but as Rodgers said in his press conference on Friday, I have actually been coaching and working in football for 20 years. At Chelsea I had experience of working with big players.

His time at Chelsea had him learning under current Real Madrid head man and champion of Spain Jose Mourinho. The Chosen One had nothing but praise for his former apprentice, telling The Sun, I am very happy with his appointment, especially because he did it as a consequence of all his amazing work at Swansea.

Rodgers has done nothing but impress since becoming manager of Swansea City. When he took over, the club was fresh off of a season in which it finished seventh in the English League Championship.

The next season under Rodgers' guidance, the team finished third, and won the tournament, vaulting it into the Premier League. Rodgers was able to lead Swansea into becoming the first Welsh team to ever earn promotion into the Premier League.

Entering the 2011-2012 season, Swansea was a favorite to be sent back down to the lower league with a bottom three finish, but it surprised everyone with some impressive victories. The team was not intimidated by the top class talent in the league and was able to beat top-flight teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and league champions Manchester City.

Rodgers's work earned him the Premier League Manager of the Month honors for February and his team finished 11th in perhaps the best league in Europe. His season ended with a Swansea win over Liverpool, which led team owner John Henry to peg him as the number one choice to replace the recently sacked Kenny Dalglish.

England international and fan favorite Steven Gerrard was quick to weigh in on the new hire.

I'm very excited and looking forward to working with him, said Gerrard. Before I spoke to him I'd heard great things, from the Chelsea boys and a few others who have worked with him.

In his debut press conference, Rodgers was confident, concise, and hopeful of the future. He praised the great history of the Liverpool organization while promising to give his best to restore the squad to the glory days of old.

The Telegraph opined, It is difficult to recall a more invigorating recent Liverpool debut than Brendan Rodgers' at Anfield.

Coming off of the worst season in the club's recent memory on the field, including many distractions off of it, Rodgers will have to put his money where his mouth is next year. Only time will tell if John Henry made the right decision of replacing the popular Kenny Dalglish with this relatively obscure new boss.