Michael Laudrup




Beyond The Pitch show

Summary: Phil and Anto are joined by new first team manager of Swansea City Football Club and Denmark midfield legend, Michael Laudrup, to take a look at the new challenge for the football club in year two in the Premier League and the what was behind his move to a club a year removed from something of a darling in the EPL. We examine the attraction between the club and its new manager based not only on the short passing and possession game, but also a Spanish accent that has been at Swansea City since 2007, when the playing style moved to a more continental approach. We also ask Michael Laudrup about the rumors involving Joe Allen and a potential move as well as some of the smart arrivals at Liberty Stadium in the names of Chico from Genoa CFC and attacking midfielder Michu from Rayo Vallecano, after a breakout season in La Liga. We get underneath the challenge for a club in its second season in the Premiership where the early intensity might be a bit different year to year and does require additional approaches to its game to break from the way many opponents will now deal with their success. Also examined is the process for Swansea during its preseason tour in the United States, how the coaching staff will evaluate the squad and get some impressions about the evolution of the American game over the years, from a legendary player who has played US based teams a couple decades ago. We also look at a legendary career and take a moment to reflect on how an exceptional player and football mind adjusts his expectations given that his skill set was far advanced from the average player, whether that be at Swansea City or virtually any other football club. This question only becomes relevant for a football legend like Michael Laudrup - selected as the Golden Player of Denmark as their most outstanding player in the past 50 years, the gold standard for midfielders as his legendary career delivered him to clubs such as Juventus, Lazio, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Ajax. Winner of five straight La Liga titles, domestic titles in Italy with Juventus and the Netherlands with Ajax, the European Cup with Barcelona, an Intercontinental Cup and a Confederations Cup victory in 1995 for his country, Denmark. Michael Laudrup delivers this extraordinary cache and experience to both Swansea City Football Club in its centinary season and the Barclays Premier League.