Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso could be a future Reds manager after his hugely impressive work at Bayer Leverkusen, according to Neil Jones in his exclusive Daily Briefing column.
The Spanish tactician has worked wonders since taking over at Leverkusen, and it now seems only a matter of time before he’s poached for a job at one of Europe’s elite.
Jones admits he can see Alonso going right to the top, so could that mean the former Liverpool midfielder returning to Anfield as manager at some point in the future?
Although one imagines that can’t be ruled out, Jones says he expects there’s some risk that Real Madrid or Bayern Munich get there first, so those two might be the names to watch in the months ahead if things don’t go totally to plan for Carlo Ancelotti or Thomas Tuchel.
By contrast, one imagines Jurgen Klopp is pretty safe at Liverpool for the long run, meaning there might even be an opening there for Alonso any time that soon.
“Xabi Alonso looks, to me, like the next big thing in terms of European coaches,” Jones said.
“The job he has done at Bayer Leverkusen has been little short of extraordinary, and I know he was incredibly highly thought of from his days managing Real Sociedad’s B side too.
“Speaking to those who know Alonso, and who know his way of working, it is clear that he has the temperament and intelligence to succeed in management. He worked under some of the best coaches in the history of the game – Guardiola, Ancelotti, Benitez, Mourinho, Del Bosque – and it is clear that that has had a big influence on him. Furthermore, the type of player he was – someone who relied on speed of thought rather than speed of foot – lends itself to management, I would say.
“Of course, he will know that bigger tests await. He has been on pretty much a constant upward curve for the last 12 months, and we are yet to see how he handles a rocky spell. But the early evidence is that this is a coach who, as he did as a player, can go right to the top.
“Liverpool manager? Maybe one day, although I suspect that Real Madrid or Bayern Munich might get there first…”