Swansea job has proved Michael Laudrup's emerging managerial credentials

No one can doubt Michael Laudrup’s pedigree as a player. One of the finest that Europe produced in the golden nineties is now preparing to make his famous name work on the dugout rather than on the pitch. The 48-year old former Danish international is a rare example that rubbishes the age old sports theory of ‘great players make bad managers’. The ex-Juventus, Barcelona, Lazio and Real Madrid legend has had modest success in his managerial career compared to his legendary playing days that spanned for almost two decades, yet one modest Welsh club is reaping the benefits of the full exposure of Michael Laudrup’s untapped managerial class. When the equally talented Brendan Rodgers left Swansea City at the beginning of the summer for Anfield after guiding the Swans to an impressive Premier League finish, many in Wales and England predicted a second season syndrome for the Swans. Yet, the opposite happened, much to the delight of many neutrals.

Brendan Rodgers’ style of play earned Swansea the nickname of ‘Swansealona’ due to a football philosophy that looked pretty similar to that of the more famous Catalan club by the name of Barcelona. If Swansea’s success helped Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers move to Liverpool, where he is still searching for consistency, Michael Laudrup has taken the Welsh club to a new level and if last night’s stunning League Cup first leg victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is anything to go by, there’s silverware waiting for the Denmark legend in his very first taste of Premier League football.

After retiring from playing football in 1998, the first thing that the Danish football association did was to appoint the then 36-year old Laudrup as assistant to long time admirer and mentor Morten Olsen to manage the national team, and the two formed a wonderful partnership to guide the Danes to the knockout stages of the 2002 World Cup. That such a revered player could be a fine manager in the near future was realized by the Danish FA, as they were ready to appoint him as assistant manger of the national team at such a young age even though he had no prior coaching experience. More than ten years on, there are rumours that the DBU (Danish Football Association) have lined up Laudrup as the ultimate successor to Morten Olsen as and when he steps down as the Danish national coach.

Reminiscent of his style of play during playing days, Michael Laudrup has remained committed to a style of free-flowing, attacking football that has not only helped Swansea cause ripples among many of England’s big guns, but also found a way of unearthing talents that could take European and world football to a new level. Consider the example of Miguel Michu. Bought for a bargain price of two million pounds from Rayo Vallecano, the Spaniard’s 16 goals in 25 appearances have made the Spanish national team boss Vicente del Bosque sit up and take notice of the 26-year old striker. Who could have thought that in the modern Premier League era of petro-dollars, a two million pound-worth striker would surpass the likes of Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguerro and Carlos Tevez in terms of quality as well as goal-scoring quantity!

Not just that Laudrup has a eye for strikers, as he has bought in defensive and midfield players at bargain prices who look mightily talented. Chico Flores, another two million pound buy, has been a revelation in defence, and has settled into a wonderful partnership with defensive stalwart Ashley Williams, while Jonathan de Guzman, on loan from Villareal, and Ki Sung Yeung, bought for six million pounds from Celtic in the summer, have given the Swansea midfield a heavyweight look with their skill, pace and application of Laudrup’s well-versed tactics.

The cool head that rests over those shoulders make Michael Laudrup one of the most watched managers in the Premier League. He brought success at Brondby in his first club as a manager after working as assistant manager with the Denmark national team, and made moderate Getafe a force to reckon with in the Spanish La Liga in his only season with the club. His attacking brand of football touched everyone wherever he went, but a keen traveller Michael Laudrup never settled for a long-term job, and with the success that he has achieved in just a few months with Swansea City successfully defending the fort that Brendan Rodgers has built, Premier League fans would hope dearly that the legend remain in the Isles for a few more years to advocate a brand of football that makes this game so beautiful.

“Michael has gone from being a big success in Swansea, to a doubtful success, to a big success again. Things move so fast in this business, it’s not possible to see half a year into the future,” said Jim Stjerne Hansen, general secretary of the DBU, pointing out the option to appoint Laudrup as the next Denmark manager.

“He has the qualities and the qualifications, the background as a top player, and he’s been a coach for a few years now,” noted long term Denmark manager and mentor Morten Olsen as he put his stamp on Laudrup being spoken of as his likely successor.

Young and upcoming footballers would be greatly helped by Michael Laudrup’s rich experience of European football, and his honest philosophy and practical reading of the game would give a new dimension to the Premier League and European football. If Arsene Wenger is credited for having changed the outlook of Premier League football, Laudrup, in his few months at Swansea, is trying to prove that money, even in this era, is not at all the ultimate criteria to claim success. Hard work, patience and unearthing of talents, along with utilizing them at the right time could be enough to win silverware and keeping in tact the essence of the beautiful game.