Larsen: Laudrup Can Reach The Top As A Manager

Michael Laudrup's new assistant Erik Larsen believes the Swansea boss can reach the same heights as a manager as he did as a player.

The 48 year-old is regarded as Denmark's best ever footballer, having won 5 consecutive La Liga titles and the European Cup, proving to be one of the best players in the 90's.

Laudrup says he's won it all at club level and now he's concentrating on helping to develop players, and not getting to the top of the managerial ladder early on.

Larsen explained to the Official Site why he has worked with him since his managerial career began at Brondby 12 years ago.

'I began to get to know Michael when he took the Brondby job,''

'We used to play together for a Lyngby old boys side.

'He eventually asked me to join him there and we've stuck together ever since. It's hard to say no to Michael! He's a great personality to work with and I've learnt a lot from him over the years.

'I firmly believe he has the same potential as a manager as he did as a player. It takes longer to become a top coach than a top player because there are so many more lessons to learn and aspects of the job to experience. But he'll get there.

'My job is to help assist Michael and the club the best I can. He firmly believes in teamwork, while also giving space for the individual to flourish within that collective. He trusts you, and as long as you do your job well he's happy.

'It's important to have a good squad of players, but it's also vital to have good technical staff and high-quality training sessions if you want to get the best out of those players.''

Larsen says he's excited to be involved in the Premier League, he added:

'Personally I've got great respect for the Premier League and I'm very humble to work within such a global brand,''

'Whether it's the best league in the world will depend on how you view the game and how it should be played. But everyone acknowledges the culture and history of the league and the fact that it's played in full stadiums.

'We are both very excited about the challenge and the need to get to know the Premier League very quickly.''

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