Rodgers Explains Liverpool Decision to Swansea Fans [VIDEO]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has penned an open letter to Swansea's staff and fans, thanking them for their support in the last two years and explaining his decision to move to Anfield.

The 39-year-old was installed as Kenny Dalglish's successor last Friday and admitted the chance to lead Liverpool's revival was too good to refuse.

"The chance to manage one of the world's great footballing institutions doesn't come around very often in a manager's life and, after two approaches, I have decided to take up the professional challenge," he wrote in his letter, published by the South Wales Evening Post.

"Before doing so I wanted to leave you my wholehearted thanks and gratitude for a truly memorable period of my life.

"My story at Swansea City began nearly two years ago and my mission above anything else was very clear: to inspire the city.

"My aim for a legacy was simply to have made Swansea City Football Club an attacking and creative team who were enjoyable to watch, and to make the people of Swansea proud of their great club, city and nation.

"In the years ahead, you, the most important people at the club, will decide if I achieved those dreams, but the journey for me has been one I will never forget.

"We created history together to become the first Welsh club in the Premier League, and defied all the odds at the same time, and there is no doubt the club will continue to flourish in the coming years."

Swansea are understood to have agreed a compensation package of £7m for Rodgers but the Northern Irishman admits leaving the Liberty Stadium for Anfield was not a decision he took lightly.

"The only way I was going to leave Swansea was for a big club, and I mean a big club," Rodgers told the South Wales Evening Post earlier this month.

"It was an extremely, extremely difficult decision because my plan was always to stay here at Swansea for a number of years.

"I have always been up front and honest. I have always said that I wouldn't be here forever and that one day I would go, but I honestly never thought the opportunity would come round now," Rodgers said.

"In my life and in my football, I have been very happy in Swansea but when an opportunity to work at a club which is more than a club comes round, it's a professional challenge which is too good to turn down.

"Liverpool are one of the dynasties of the game. They have won five European Cups and their status is up there with AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich."

He added: "Swansea will live in my heart for the rest of my life and one day I would love to return to this great club and city.

"Until that day comes, I wish everyone at Swansea lots of success in the next chapter of your amazing story."

And Rodgers extended an olive branch to former manager Kenny Dalglish by asking the Scot, sacked by Fenway Sports Group last month, to remain involved with the club.

Dalglish was sacked just 12 months into a three-year contract despite ending Liverpool's six-year wait for a trophy and reaching the FA Cup final. But he was replaced by FSG after leading the club to an eighth place finish in the Premier League.

"I am not here to win any race or competition," Dalglish said. "This guy is a legend in the game and here at Liverpool Football Club. But what I know is history judges you as a manager and hopefully in time people will look back at what I have achieved here and I can walk beside these people.

"But there is no way I can try and overtake someone like Kenny Dalglish. All I can do is be myself. This is a prestigious club and this is a guy who has a wonderful history here and will continue to have a great future in terms of Liverpool. I can't worry about that. The only way you can overcome that is by winning."