Brendan Rodgers, who led Swansea City to Premier League promotion in 2011, has recently welcomed four coaches from the Welsh club’s academy to Celtic Park and Lennoxtown. The visit allowed Swansea’s coaching team to tap into Rodgers’ vast footballing knowledge and the philosophies that have seen him succeed not only at Celtic but also at English Premier League clubs like Leicester City and Liverpool.
A Valuable Learning Experience
Swansea academy coaches Anthony Wright, Liam McGarry, Paul Wavell, and Sam Morris were invited to Scotland for a trip that included an in-depth look at Rodgers’ methods and tactics. They were also fortunate to witness Celtic’s impressive 3-0 win over Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park.
McGarry, who serves as Swansea City’s head of academy coaching, reflected on the experience, praising Rodgers’ generosity in sharing his expertise. “Brendan Rodgers was incredibly generous with his time and open with his industry-leading knowledge,” McGarry said. “There is no doubt that was largely down to his care and affection for Swansea City.”
Bridging the Gap Between Two Possession-Based Teams
Swansea City and Celtic share a similar possession-based style, something McGarry was keen to explore further. “It was amazing to gain insight into how Celtic play, with and without the ball. While there were a lot of similarities in playing styles, Brendan and his coaching staff still gave us a lot to think about and take back to Swansea.”
The focus of the trip was to enhance and improve the academy’s approach, with the Swansea coaches now in the process of deciding how best to implement the new learnings into their own coaching in Wales.
Four Swansea City Academy coaches recently linked up with former Swans manager Brendan Rodgers and his coaching staff to learn of his football philosophies and knowledge at Scottish Premiership side @CelticFC ⚽️
👉 https://t.co/7bm1ZFQCYL pic.twitter.com/woytSduqpI
— Swansea City Academy (@swans_academy) March 7, 2025
The Celtic Influence
After returning to Swansea, the coaches were thrilled to see Celtic perform admirably in their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich at the Allianz. McGarry noted how Celtic’s tactics during the match resonated with their own tactical aspirations. “Celtic’s match template encapsulated so many principles and characteristics that we are hoping to establish or further develop back in Swansea.”
He continued, “Our aim as an academy is to work tirelessly to punch above our weight, and Celtic showed how to be competitive without abandoning principles or identity—something we want to mirror.”
A Strong Bond Between Swansea and Rodgers
McGarry also acknowledged the long-standing relationship between Rodgers and Swansea, which helped make the visit even more valuable. “Brendan spoke so fondly and passionately of his time at Swansea, and it was amazing to think how that relationship has contributed to helping our current crop of homegrown players.”
This connection between Rodgers and Swansea City demonstrates the strength of his coaching legacy and highlights the shared footballing philosophy between the two clubs—one that will continue to benefit both now and in the future.
For Rodgers, it’s a side that often isn’t talked about—his generosity with his time. Many young aspiring coaches come to visit him at Celtic to learn from his blueprint, and it simply doesn’t receive the praise that it should for the Irishman being so willing to help coaches learn.
