Rodgers grateful for Reading experience

Brendan Rodgers says his experience at Reading was crucial in his development as a manager as he now tries to bring success to Liverpool.

The 39-year-old took over at the Madjeski Stadium after guiding Watford to safety in the Championship, but a disappointing run of results meant he left after only five months in December 2009.

Rodgers soon took the helm at Swansea City where he enjoyed his most successful period as a manager, but the Northern Irishman looks back at his mistakes at Reading as the most important moments of his career.

“I probably became more clinical after (leaving Reading). I went in there looking to change things too quickly,” he said.

“I went in thinking: ‘Right, the club want a new vision, a new philosophy’, and I felt if I stripped it down quickly and let it build then that would be OK.

“But what I realised after that was you are still in the business of winning.

“You talk about football, creativity and invention, but you have to win games – as simple as that.

“That was something very important to me on reflection when I came away from Reading.

“When I went in to Swansea, I knew very well I could still work with the same philosophy and identity, but I would have to get to the end point quicker.

“That allowed me to round off everything I do and how I work with players and it brought me success at Swansea.

“That six months at Reading over the course of a nearly 20-year period coaching and managing has been great learning for me.

“Hopefully that will be the defining moment of my career.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers confirmed he would speak with both Joe Cole and Alberto Aquilani about their futures at the club.

The English midfielder has been on a successful season-long loan at French side Lille, where he played alongside Chelsea’s new signing Eden Hazard while Aquilani also spent last term at Italian giants AC Milan, where he made 23 appearances in Serie A.

Rodgers admitted that he is a big fan of both players and revealed that he will meet the duo to find out if it is possible for them to stay at Anfield.

“They’re certainly talented players,” Rodgers said.

“I know Joe well from my time at Chelsea. He’s a wonderful talent.

“I thought Aquilani was a really good player. I’d seen him in the Champions League and he came to Liverpool but it didn’t quite work out and he went back (to Italy) on loan.

“There might be other situations. I just need to find out from speaking with those players because there are always other reasons.

“The boy Aquilani is a wonderful talent and a terrific player but he might not be able to settle. He might not be able to adapt to the country so you’ve got all those issues and sometimes you’re not aware of that until you sit down and speak to the people.”