Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert, what were they thinking?

As Norwich City and Swansea City entered the Premier League last season, there were not many who gave them a chance of even staying the league, nevermind finishing mid-table. A year later, however, and Swansea are continuing to prosper under the management of Michael Laudrup whilst Norwich, struggling slightly, are still posting good results.

During the summer, though, the managers who brought them to the top tier of English football moved on. Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool and Paul Lambert to Aston Villa. At the time, I thought that these were curious moves from both managers. Certainly, a downgrade for Lambert moving to Villa, a team in line for a very long season but also a downgrade too for Rodgers going to Liverpool. Yes, the club has the history, tradition and there is the allure of the going to a ‘big’ club.

But, as we have seen during the opening stages of the season, he clearly has a few communication problems with the American owners already following the transfer deadline fiasco which saw Andy Carroll go to West Ham on loan and replacement Clint Dempsey going to Spurs.

Why on earth did he decide to leave Swansea? The foundations laid down by Roberto Martinez gave Rodgers an opportunity to take Swansea to dizzying Premier League heights with their dynamic, exciting and attacking brand of football. Taking into account what we have seen from Swansea already this season, building on their impressive first campaign, is it really inconceivable to see the Welsh club finishing in the top eight this season?

Rodgers is fast learning that there is serious work to be done at Anfield as he tries to rebuild from the disastrous Kenny Dalglish era.

Norwich, now under the watchful and capable eye of Chris Houghton, were a formidable force in their first season back in the Premier League. They played some attractive football, were a tough opponent away from home and Delia Smith was all smiling and all singing. Lambert is an excellent manager but I still cannot comprehend how he decided that Villa was a better option than staying with the Canaries.

Villa are in the midst of re-building after the short lived and ill fated Mcleish era but Lambert had a far superior team at Norwich who are capable finsihing in the top half of the table, something I can’t see Villa doing.

Time will tell if the managers have made the right decisions but, after the first couple of weeks of the new season, it appears both men would have been better suited staying put.

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