By David Dulin BBC Sport Wales

Swansea City have appointed Brendan Rodgers as their new manager.

The 37-year-old former Reading boss has agreed a 12-month rolling contract with the Championship club and takes over immediately at the Liberty Stadium.

Rodgers succeeds Paulo Sousa, who left last week to take over at Leicester City after just a year at Swansea.

"I'm very proud to become manager of Swansea City - a progressive club that plays the game the right way," Rodgers told the Swansea website.

"My aim is continue that philosophy and help the club progress. I want to play offensive, attacking football, but with discipline.

"I will inherit a wonderful group of players and, if I can help them develop and improve, I will be very pleased.

"I've seen the passion of the Swansea fans for myself when I was here last season and I can assure them I've come here to be a winner. I'm really looking forward to the challenge.''

Swansea have confirmed that current coaches Colin Pascoe and Alan Curtis, who have held the reins since Sousa's departure, will continue their roles under the new boss.

Brendan Rodgers is young, talented and ambitious Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins

However, Rodgers is hoping to add his own conditioning coach to the current structure.

Rodgers has been out of work since being sacked by Reading in December last year after six months in charge.

The Northern Irishman previously worked under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea first as youth coach and then reserve team boss.

Rodgers was handed his first managerial post at Watford in November 2008 after a personal recommendation from Mourinho.

He impressed at Vicarage Road but his stay lasted just seven months before leaving for Reading last June to replace Steve Coppell.

The two clubs agreed a £500,000 compensation package for the highly-rated manager, but he struggled at his new club and departed six months later.

BBC Sport Wales revealed on Thursday that Rodgers had been offered and accepted the Swansea City job, which is his third in less than two years.

Swansea decided to go for a British manager this time around after previously appointing Sousa and now Wigan boss Roberto Martinez before that.

The south Wales side saw two approaches turned down for former Wales captain Gary Speed by Sheffield United where he is a coach, while Hamilton boss Billy Reid turned down the chance to speak to Swansea.

606: DEBATE Before all the abuse starts regarding Rodgers and the lack of ambition from Jenkins etc etc etc, how about everyone gives the man a chance and see how we get on? crispy1974

Exeter's Paul Tisdale ruled himself out while Nigel Adkins at Scunthorpe was also heavily linked.

But Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins is confident that he has got the right man in the end.

"I'm delighted with the appointment,'' Jenkins said. "It's taken us a bit of time, but I'm sure Brendan will prove well worth the wait.

"We set down strict criteria for the job. We have a unique structure and playing style at the club that we were determined to maintain.

"There were a lot of boxes to tick and that's why it didn't suit some candidates.

"Brendan not only ticked all our boxes, but he will offer us a lot more in our quest to keep this football club moving forward.

"He is young, talented and ambitious. Just by speaking to him you can see he has amazing drive and we are all excited about working with him.''

Rodgers will meet his new squad before Saturday's friendly at Yeovil, where he will have a watching brief as Pascoe and Curtis take the lead role.

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