The 39-year-old headed down that route at an early age, when a knee injury ended his playing career at just 20.
Now, at his official installation as King Kenny's successor at Anfield on Friday, Rodgers has insisted he's up to the challenge of leading one of the most followed clubs in the world.
"My pathway as a young coach has been different to most managers," he said.
"Even though I'm young in age, I have actually been coaching and working in football for 20 years - I had four-and-a-half fantastic years at Chelsea and had experience of working with big players."
For me, it doesn't matter where people are in terms of status - I always treat them as human beings.
Brendan Rodgers
Rodgers added: "I look at Kenny Dalglish. He was the manager [of Liverpool in 1985] at 34 and resigned at 39 and in that period he won three leagues and two FA Cups.
"I arrive here at 39 - maybe young in age, but experienced in the game."
The former Swansea boss knows he has a big job ahead of him - not just in terms of getting results on the pitch, but in winning the support of fans and players alike.
But for him, it's all just a question of earning respect.
"I've always had to do that, it's been my life - I was never the big player, so I never had that," Rodgers said.
"I had to go down a different route and earn respect down the coaching route.
"Whether you are a League Two player or a top Premier League player, it's about respect and I've carried that through from working with kids aged five to some of the biggest players in the world."
Rodgers also hasn't wasted any time in stamping his authority, holding firm to his desire not to work under a director of football at Liverpool.
"When you come to a big club, you can't do it on your own - there is not one of us that is better than all of us," the new boss said.
"But what you need at a football club is you need an outstanding recruitment team, an outstanding medical and sports science team, player liaison team ... and these are all people who will come into the group and we will form a little technical board.
"There will be four or five people around that group who will decide the way forward."
He was the only person we made an offer to. We got the person we wanted.
Ian Ayre, Liverpool’s managing director
Rodgers held off on accepting the job offer from Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, until he was sure that he was their number one choice as he was happy with the Swans.
It was his time there that had caught the attention of FSG, with the Welsh side earning promotion to the top flight and impressing in their debut Premiership season under his leadership.
"I always said if I left them, it would be for a top club - but I would have to be the number one choice," Rodgers said.
"I was happy at Swansea, I wasn't crying to leave ... When Liverpool came back in a second time to say I was the number one choice, I had to think seriously about it.
"I'm very proud - it's a club with wonderful tradition and I feel very blessed with the opportunity to manage the club."