BRENDAN Rodgers believes there could be another Joe Allen lost somewhere in the lower leagues.

And the Swansea City manager reckons Leon Britton mark II may be operating way down the ladder because of a lack of opportunities higher up.

Rodgers is convinced that technically gifted players fall by the wayside in the British game because on these shores, too much emphasis is put on physical power.

"The question I would ask is how many Joe Allens or Leon Brittons are out there in British football who, if we are not careful, will be lost to the game," says the Swansea manager.

"Leon, for instance, has finally arrived in the Premier League having spent years playing below this level.

"Now there's no doubt his time at a lower level has helped Leon, but how many other players like him are out there?

"How many others are there who are maybe deemed too small but are technically strong and (when they get a chance in the Premier League) can be talked about in the same breath as some of the top players in the country?"

Before this season, Britton had spent his whole career playing outside the top flight after being deemed not good enough for West Ham almost a decade ago.

He began life with Swansea in the bottom division, but has taken each step up in his stride as the club have climbed the ladder.

Now he is shining in the top league, and suddenly there is talk of how he could rival Scott Parker for a place in England's midfield at this summer's European Championship.

Britton has won admirers as the controller in the Swansea system, the fulcrum who is central to their passing style.

It is not an easy role to play, yet the stats suggest Britton is the best in Europe right now.

Allen is not far behind in the individual league tables, and the young Welshman has been another key part of the success Swansea have enjoyed so far this season.

"Ultimately it is about giving that type of player a chance," Rodgers adds.

"All the plans on youth structure and the new elite performance plan are great. It's great that we are looking to improve standards for young players in this country.

"But ultimately, it's about opportunity and it's about football vision.

"If players are given a chance in a certain team who play in a certain way with a certain structure, you can maximise the extent to which they can play the game.

"That's what we do at Swansea — we identify players with talent irrespective of their size.

"There are certain positions where you need stature and physicality, but our game is based on the technical side of football and the capacity to play the game tactically."

Fabio Capello is the latest admirer of Swansea's approach, the England boss saluting their style and quality at a gathering of coaches and managers this week.

Receiving a pat on the back from such a senior figure, and one with such a remarkable CV, is a huge fillip for Rodgers and the rest at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea have been playing an attractive brand of football for the last five years, since Roberto Martinez took over from Kenny Jackett and began preaching that possession was paramount.

Paulo Sousa continued along similar lines, although too often under the Portuguese, Swansea's domination of the ball was not reflected on the scoreboard.

That can still be an issue at times, as was the case at Sunderland last weekend.

But the beauty of Rodgers's Swansea is that they normally blend possession and penetration and, most of the time at least, remain solid when on the back foot.

"We lost the game last Saturday to two fantastic goals," the Northern Irishman says.

"But to go to Sunderland, which is renowned as a really difficult place to go, and make nearly 650 passes in the game, to create chances like we did and to control and dominate the game we much as we did, is very pleasing.

"We put Sunderland right on the back foot for the majority of the game, which was fantastic.

"And we know because we have seen the evidence in the past that over time, if we continue to perform like we did last Saturday, that will get us results."

There are not many managers up and down the land who, after a defeat, will ask their players to produce a similar performance in their next outing.

Yet that is how it will be for Rodgers as he looks to steer Swansea through to the fifth round of the FA Cup at Bolton Wanderers this weekend.

Swansea produced a high-calibre display at the Stadium of Light, dominating just about every statistic going aside from the one that mattered most.

Sunderland took the points courtesy of two spectacular goals, one early in the game and one late, from Stephane Sessegnon and Craig Gardner.

Swansea were in control for large periods of the contest, but could not find a way past Black Cats keeper Simon Mignolet.

Their task at the Reebok this weekend will be to ensure they control the ball as they did on Wearside.

And Rodgers is confident that if they achieve that, they will land a place in the last 16 of the cup.

"Our objective is to win the game," he says, "because we want to get to the next round.

"What we must do is continue our work, continue to train specifically for the way we play the game.

"The biggest pleasure for me as a coach is seeing that relationship between training and games."

Assuming they are not rested with one eye on Chelsea, Allen and Britton will get another opportunity to show what they are good at this weekend.

And Rodgers is optimistic the Swansea way will be strong enough to see off an improving Bolton.