TOM Butler is leaving Wales with a heavy heart — but has high hopes for the future of Swansea City.

Butler is eyeing up a possible move to Australian football after ending a six-year association with Swansea this week.

And the Irishman is tipping the club where he made 144 appearances to go from strength to strength under their "revolutionary" manager.

A combination of injury problems and the form of others in his position meant Butler never got the chance to play a competitive game for Brendan Rodgers.

But the 30-year-old wideman has seen enough during Rodgers's 18-month Liberty reign to be convinced that Swansea's recent progress is going to continue.

"I think Swansea have probably the brightest young manager in Europe," Butler says.

"When you consider how old he is, the knowledge Brendan has of the game is unbelievable, and he is only going to get better and better in the future.

Courage

"It takes a lot of courage to play the way we play. There are a lot of critics out there who are waiting for us to fail.

"They want us to play the old-fashioned kind of football, but Brendan won't have that.

"The way he gets you to play is the right way, and I think he is a revolutionary as a manager.

"He is leading the charge for change, and he is a beacon for other young managers who can look and see the way he is doing things.

"I think the way Brendan does things will help our international teams as well as Swansea.

"The reason why I think the home nations struggle in the big tournaments is because they have to play differently from how they do at their clubs.

"But the way Brendan has us playing is more like international football, and I see other young coaches following his lead."

Butler still talks about "us" and "we" when referring to Swansea, the club he joined for a fee of £50,000 back in July 2006.

The last couple of seasons have not been happy for the Dubliner — he missed all of the last campaign because of injury problems and, despite returning to fitness, has not been able to force his way into first-team contention this term.

But Butler, who came to an agreement on the final six months of his contract, will not leave Swansea with sour memories.

"I have no regrets about any part of my time at the club," he adds.

"I worked with some great people at Swansea and everyone has been really good to me over the last six seasons.

"The way the club has evolved since I first came in under Kenny Jackett has been fantastic.

"I think every manager in my time has brought their own ingredients, and credit has to go the people who make the appointments for that.

"Some good decisions have been made, and Swansea now have a footballing philosophy which I think will stay in place for a long time to come."

Remembered

If Butler is remembered for one particular game, it will be the FA Cup win at then Premier League Sheffield United back in January 2007.

The former Sunderland man scored twice in a 3-0 win for a Swansea side who were then in the third tier, and 6,000 away fans enjoyed a special day out.

His best season was 2007-08, Butler managing six goals in 50 appearances as Roberto Martinez's Swansea romped to the League One title.

"That was the year when we really started to play the football we're known for now — exciting, attacking, passing football," he remembers.

"It was great to be part of that season, and last season would be another highlight for me even though I had so many injury problems.

"It was great to be at Wembley and to see the lads getting the ultimate reward of Premier League football, especially as I had played with a lot of them in League One."

Butler made 57 appearances in Swansea's first two seasons in the Championship, but then issues with his groin and thigh began, forcing him to the fringes of Rodgers's Swansea side.

Popular

A hugely popular figure in the dressing room, Butler will be missed.

"It's been frustrating for me not to be playing, but I've had five or six operations over the last ten years and that makes it tough to keep any momentum going," he continues. "Now I've got to go and play my football somewhere else, and there are a couple of clubs I'm in talks with.

"I am also looking into the possibility of going to play abroad and hopefully I can get something sorted out in the next couple of weeks.

"Australia has been mentioned. My girlfriend and I have been talking about going and doing something different for a while, and that could be an avenue for us.

"And besides, it would be good to get a bit of a tan on my pasty body."

A body which, after all the travails of last season, is now in good working order.

Butler is ready to restart his football career after enduring such a difficult spell, and there should be a few seasons in the former Republic of Ireland international yet.

Wherever he ends up, Butler will look out for the fortunes of the club he has left behind.

"I hope Brendan stays at Swansea for a long time yet, because I think he can take the club on and on," Butler says.

"I think the club will get stronger — I can see an Academy coming along pretty soon, and that will mean more players like Joe Allen and Jazz Richards making it through to the first team.

"Hopefully Brendan will be there to oversee that, and there's no doubt he will keep the club playing good football.

"I really believe he can leave a special legacy at Swansea City."

Butler may not leave a legacy, but he departs with a fine reputation — as a good guy and a good footballer who played his part in Swansea's rise to the top.

gareth.vincent@swwmedia.co.uk