It's a strange one really, there are only a handful of 'special' managers (e.g. Moyes, Fergie, MON, Roy, etc). Lambert and Rodgers have done tremendously well last season and this season, but the proof of the pudding will how Norwich and Swansea do in the tricky second season.
Even the managers underneath those 'special' managers have all experienced some form of failure in their career, as have most that are highlighted on here as good experienced managers - Lambert's first job at Livingstone, Brendon Rodgers at Reading, Holloway at Leicester, Warnock is struggling at Leeds and also struggled at Huddlesfield, Adkins was relegated twice with Scunthorpe, Steve McClaren at Forest, Sven at Leicester, Brian CLough at Leeds, AVB at Chelsea, King Kenny currently at Liverpool, Allerdyce at Newcastle, Ferguson at Preston, Phil Brown at Preston, Pardew at Charlton, Steve Tilson at Lincoln,
Sometimes (e.g. Holloway at Blackpool, Dowie at Palace, Boothroyd at Watford) it's about having the right manager and the right group of players at the right time, and thigs just click. Also re: Swansea everyone seems to forget that the footballing foundations and development were started by Kenny Jackett, Martinez, and Sousa, and Rodgers has just continued to enhance it.
Sorry went off a bit waffly there, but i think the point i am trying to make is that a good manager can only take you so far, and a given manager could easily be a success or a failure depending what the conditions are in terms of the board room, club vision and playing staff.