Xabi Alonso: Bayer Leverkusen manager

His playing career was pretty evenly spread out over Real Sociedad (4 years), Liverpool (5 years), Real Madrid (5 years) and Bayern (3 years). While he was very highly rated at all his clubs, did he actually do enough to be considered a legend at any of them?

Yes, he is. At least for Real Madrid but I guess he's also fondly remember by Liverpool fans as he won a Champions League with them and was already a class player.
 
It still baffles me that any Man United fan would want a Liverpool legend even near the club, much less as manager.
It's not like we're talking about Gerrard or Carragher here. Don't see why we wouldn't want Alonso just because he played at Liverpool for a few years
 
Pointless question. Barcelona can't approach him. Their fans would riot
Not that I think Barcelona is an option for Alonso currently, But he doesnt strike me like someone that has deep sentiments against Barca/Madrid. He is Basque and can't remember him being that in the thick of the Barcelonavs Madrid rivalry like say someone like Ramos Pique, Xavi etc
 
The best friends as kids Arteta and Alonso leading in El Classico Barcelona and Real Madrid would be glorious.
 
I would agree. I don't see why other clubs wouldn't go in for him, I doubt he's got any huge allegiance to any club maybe bar Real, and even then he's not from Madrid and grew up in Barca before going back to Donostia where he spent to bulk of his life/career and even started coaching.

He's Basque more than anything and like others have already commented plenty of times he has a preference for Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. Him going to Barcelona would be like us appointing Xavi Hernández as our coach. With his track record I'm sure Barcelona executives would consider him but at the very least his not moving this season and they need a new manager right now.
 
The best friends as kids Arteta and Alonso leading in El Classico Barcelona and Real Madrid would be glorious.
I can totally see them holding arms and jumping together with the la Liga trophy.
 
Not that I think Barcelona is an option for Alonso currently, But he doesnt strike me like someone that has deep sentiments against Barca/Madrid. He is Basque and can't remember him being that in the thick of the Barcelonavs Madrid rivalry like say someone like Ramos Pique, Xavi etc
He was very strongly identified with madridismo when tensions between fanbases were at an all time high with Mourinho. He was also one of the players closest to Mou. He's not Ramos or Pepe or Cristiano or Mourinho, but the culers kinda hate him too. Xabi was no saint on the pitch...
 
He's Basque more than anything and like others have already commented plenty of times he has a preference for Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. Him going to Barcelona would be like us appointing Xavi Hernández as our coach. With his track record I'm sure Barcelona executives would consider him but at the very least his not moving this season and they need a new manager right now.
Yeah I just pointed out it’s not like he’s from any of these cities or is a boyhood fan. I also don’t really get the alternative to what people are expecting he’d say in these interviews where he’s asked about Pool, Bayern or Real? He’s hardly going to to say ‘I enjoyed my time there but I’d never go back’.

I think he’s Real bound and it’s already locked in. Makes easily the most career sense.
 
There is a rumor that says that before leaving Madrid he cheated on his wife with the singer of a group called Russian red (who even wrote a song called "Xabier").
Supposedly Nagore, his wife, demanded him to leave Madrid. That's why he left in 2014, when he had renewed a few months earlier, and not because of the signing of Kroos.
That this veto is still in place is the only reason I can think of for him not to come.
But calma madridistas calma...
Fortunately I have a friend who plays football with Arbeloa(super Xabi friend) once a week and works with his family, so I will work as the yellow press to try to find out everything in due time :D
 
He was very strongly identified with madridismo when tensions between fanbases were at an all time high with Mourinho. He was also one of the players closest to Mou. He's not Ramos or Pepe or Cristiano or Mourinho, but the culers kinda hate him too. Xabi was no saint on the pitch...

Nigel de Jong knew and took appropiate action against the Menace Alonso.
 
Make no mistake, Alonso is the next superstar in the world of football managers, Pep level. What he has done at Leverkusen this season is up there with the best managerial work I've witnessed. He will retire one day with a trophy cabinet as big as the biggest.
 
You won’t see any manager consider Liverpool if they were wanted by every team in the world

This is Manchester United I’m talking about. Completely different beast. I think you’ve forgotten how big it is because of recent form.

Anyway I cannot agree with you. I am very very confident I am correct and you are wrong. I’m equally as confident that you won’t change your mind. Even if he did go to United in June, I don’t think you’d back down. So we’ll have to agree to disagree.

Alonso might reject United but I’m sure it won’t be “id love to but I played for Liverpool once” it’ll be because he wants to go to La Liga/Madrid or something IMO. So I’d be trying to get him this summer if I were Berrada

The idea that there’s a chasm in cachet between United and Liverpool is mental.

We’re of equal stature and both sets of fans can make a case for being bigger. That’s why it’s the best rivalry in England.

At some points one or the other team is the tougher/bigger/more glamour role. But that pendulum has swung back and forth over the decades.

We should all cherish it. We wouldn’t have the ability to laugh at their failings if they were some second rate club. They have history, success, haven’t spent decades in irrelevance. Their city has great politics that are similar to Manchester. Our similarities and success create the rivalry. Diminishing that is supremely small time.

Obviously I hate them.
 
IMO we should go all out for him.

He is the current "best-in-class" option for us.
 
Took an underachieving squad from a relegation spot, added six impact players with transfer fees totalling €68M, on net spendings of €12M. Imagine what he´s going to do with €400M. :nervous:

Sure at some stage to maintain a certain level of squad/team you need big money, but having a great sporting director and manager is the key to everything.

Their DOF Simon Rolfes and the whole scouting department should get some credit.

Tah and Hradecky are from before 2019, since....

2019: Tapsoba, Palacios, Diaby
2020: Schick, Frimpong, (Promotion of) Wirtz
2021: Kossounou, Adli, Hincapie, Andrich
2022: ....
2023: Grimaldo, Boniface, Hoffmann, Xhaka, Tella, Stanisic (loan)

They knocked the 2023 window out of the park, but they have been gradually building to this by finding gems in the transfer market, and even absorbing some expensive flops like Demirbay, Paulinho, Alario, Retsos, and still come out with a net spending of plus €3M largely thanks to selling Havertz, Leno, Henrichs, Brandt, Diaby and Bailey.
 
His success at Leverkusen should really put to bed all the nonsense about multi-year "processes" and giving years worth of chances at a time to failing managers.

We should attempt to sign him at the very least, though it looks like he'll stay for another season before moving to Real Madrid.
 
As soon as Liverpool appoint their new manager, we should make contact and ask what he wants to take the job the season after next. Can’t hurt to enquire
 
His success at Leverkusen should really put to bed all the nonsense about multi-year "processes" and giving years worth of chances at a time to failing managers.

We should attempt to sign him at the very least, though it looks like he'll stay for another season before moving to Real Madrid.
Cruel man. If people are not allowed to say "trust the process", they have nothing left. Alonso is a danger to the coaching and pundit profession. I hope he keeps his pesky behind in Germany and doesn't pollute the Prem with his handball style tactics
 
His success at Leverkusen should really put to bed all the nonsense about multi-year "processes" and giving years worth of chances at a time to failing managers.

Just in recent memory, we've had Ranieri and Conte (Chelsea) do that in the PL. Doesn't help. There will always be excuses about how our manager is facing unique challenges.
 
Just in recent memory, we've had Ranieri and Conte (Chelsea) do that in the PL. Doesn't help. There will always be excuses about how our manager is facing unique challenges.
When we talk about quick and successful fixes Tuchel's CL win with Chelsea has to be mentioned as well I think.
 
What about Steven Gerrard, if he had Alonso's track record?

Much as I can't stand the cnut, if he was actually a brilliant manager I'd take him in a heartbeat if he wanted to manage us.

He wouldn't though and neither would Xabi.

If he’s good enough why not? Busby played for Liverpool and City.

The rivalry - including the bitterness and tribalism - has changed since the 1940/50's, you'd have to be blind not to see it.
 
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Had chance to meet him today, over some Germany friends, it was nothing that big but in those few minutes I could have seen that dude is full of charisma. I always have respect for people who looks you in the eyes when talks with you. And he knows his talk.
If he had told me that I leave my job and put cones for him I would do it. I would be his Phelan. For free.
Jimmy should be all over this.
Great player for 3 big clubs, but IMHO he will be better manager.
 
We had so many good players over the years and so many of them turned to coaching but not even one cnut turned out to be a great manager. Sucks so bad. Barca had Pep, Enrique and now Xavi that won titles with them. Madrid with Zidane. Juve with Conte. Milan with Ancelotti. Bayern with Hansi flick. Arsenal now with Lego pep fighting for titles. Even fecking Di Matteo won a CL with Chelsea however flukey that was. And we produced Steve bruce, sparky, Ince, Keane, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Giggsy, Solskjaer etc as managers:lol:
 
Had chance to meet him today, over some Germany friends, it was nothing that big but in those few minutes I could have seen that dude is full of charisma. I always have respect for people who looks you in the eyes when talks with you. And he knows his talk.
If he had told me that I leave my job and put cones for him I would do it. I would be his Phelan. For free.
Jimmy should be all over this.
Great player for 3 big clubs, but IMHO he will be better manager.
Did you propose to him? :smirk:

I've never met him in person, of course, but from interviews and comments about him, it's really clear what a charismatic guy he must be. It's so bad that I'm not even really upset about the "Werkself" construct... Feck that guy!
 
It went a bit unnoticed but our CEO Fernando Carro actually had to say some things about Alonso's future and Real Madrid in particular a couple of days ago:

Fernando Carro said:
I have no doubts. One day, Xavi Alonso will be Real Madrid manager. No doubts at all, zero doubts!

The only doubt is when he will sign for Real Madrid

But it will happen, trust me. I am sure

Further supports the impression that the surprising extension of Ancelotti until 2026 (and his subsequent withdrawal from the Brazil job) was a reaction to Alonso's own extension with us until 2026 amidst the at the time very concrete rumours of a Madrid move. I would be very surprised if he doesn't replace Ancelotti in 2025 or at the latest in 2026.
 
They should have been 3-1 down so many times. They looked completely toothless going forward and yet they manage the draw. This is the kind of season where just absolutely everything goes your way.
 
How many times have they rescued a game at the death this season? Feels like every weekend lately .