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Xabi Alonso: Bayer Leverkusen INVINCIBLES manager

NoLogo

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Doing a brilliant job since arriving at Leverkusen, they were in an awful state before he took over. That being said, their transfer business has improved drastically as well, no idea if that is down to Xabi or if they changed something in terms of their recruitment team at Leverkusen as well.
 

DJ_21

Evens winner of 'Odds or Evens 2022/2023'
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Sure to be Liverpool next manager. Especially if he wins the league this year
 

NoLogo

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Madrid 2026

Believe
Seems to be the obvious candidate to take over from Ancelotti, doesn't he? Former Madrid player and looks like one of the next top 3 managers in football. Pretty sure he would also take the job in a heartbeat despite doing well with Leverkusen.

Would add the benefit of not going to Liverpool as well. So go for him, pretty please. :D
 

KiD MoYeS

Good Craig got his c'nuppins
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Wonder will Real be tempted to sack Ancelotti to bring in Alonso. Otherwise Liverpool will have a free run at him. Why would he join Bayern if he wins the Bundesliga with Leverkusen?
 

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
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This is done deal. Bayer don't want to go in public with that because of title race but i don't see any other outcome except him being in Liverpool next year.
 

stefan92

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Wonder will Real be tempted to sack Ancelotti to bring in [Irrelevant point - unless we are talking about F1]. Otherwise Liverpool will have a free run at him. Why would he join Bayern if he wins the Bundesliga with Leverkusen?
To win the CL?
 

Adnan

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Doing a brilliant job since arriving at Leverkusen, they were in an awful state before he took over. That being said, their transfer business has improved drastically as well, no idea if that is down to Xabi or if they changed something in terms of their recruitment team at Leverkusen as well.
Nothing really changed regarding recruitment, Leverkusen were developing a team for several years and were buying and developing players for a proactive attacking style of play. So in the process of developing the team, they had taken steps forward and steps backwards also. The progress wasn't linear but the likes of Simon Rolfes was afforded time and patience to develop the team.

Xabi Alonso is obviously a very good coach, but their (Leverkusen) strategy developing the team involved creating a very strong rest defense where their backline and deeper mids are among the best players at controlling space in large spaces against the transition/counter attack. Without having the pace and power of Tapsoba, Tah and Kossounou (wasn't involved earlier), Alonso's tactics would not be effective imo.

Edit: Not sure why my post has been edited with a reference to F1, strange...
 
Last edited:

RG77

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Seems to be the obvious candidate to take over from Ancelotti, doesn't he? Former Madrid player and looks like one of the next top 3 managers in football. Pretty sure he would also take the job in a heartbeat despite doing well with Leverkusen.

Would add the benefit of not going to Liverpool as well. So go for him, pretty please. :D
Contract timelines certainly match up and I believe we have a stronger squad for him to work with compared to Bayern and Liverpool. Also Perez has no issue firing managers if they don’t win.

———
Okay what is this dumb filter where we can’t even name him? :lol:
 

Acheron

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Ancelotti just extended his contract to 2026. Dunno why people are suggesting Real as next club. Liverpool and Barca are looking for managers in the summer and who knows, maybe Tuchel gets the boot. I'd say he's bang on for Liverpool unfortunately.
He's gonna end up in Real Madrid evetually, ideally right after Ancelotti leaves but it's also possible he becomes Liverpool's manager first.
 

Dancfc

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I wonder if Klopp actually wanted to see out his contract but decided to put the club first and go early once the perfect succession plan fell in the clubs lap compared to 2026 where Madrid would have likely swooped in before then?

So annoying the cards have fell so perfectly for them.
 

PickledRed

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Really hope he is our next manager. Looks like a good candidate to be one of the best managers in the world.
He’s certainly showing incredible potential and cutting his teeth at the sharp end of German football. Liverpool will surely approach him - can’t see him turning his former club down.

If he ends up doing a few years before going to Real it would suggest he’d done a good job.

An exciting young manager - but he’s currently operating in a low stakes situation where success is a bonus rather than an expectation.
 

Hammondo

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To me it's the natural step, move to Bayern cuz they are going to sack Tuchel. And avoid Liverpool right after Klopp. Going to be tough to follow Klopp.
Bayern are not good at their moment though, surely Liverpool is a better option.
 

SER19

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Wonder will Real be tempted to sack Ancelotti to bring in [Irrelevant point - unless we are talking about F1]. Otherwise Liverpool will have a free run at him. Why would he join Bayern if he wins the Bundesliga with Leverkusen?
My gut is that Klopp to Madrid is a sure thing
 

SER19

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Interesting. I just can't see Klopp at Madrid, it would be a big change for him. But if they want him, he may find it difficult to refuse.
Ive always thought it would suit him. When you look at the team their building too, and Ancelottis end date, it lines up. Bellingham, Valverde, Vinicious, Rodrygo, then potentially Haaland or Mbappe up top. It would be an incredible side under Klopp I think, all high energy players. Wouldnt be surprised to see Van Dijk there too, next to a younger centre back partner, Davies at left back. Madrid have been planning their squad so well- it seems they learned from some expensive mistakes

He must surely think it would give him a huge opportunity to win more CLs and join the greats
 

Dr. StrangeHate

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I wonder if Klopp actually wanted to see out his contract but decided to put the club first and go early once the perfect succession plan fell in the clubs lap compared to 2026 where Madrid would have likely swooped in before then?

So annoying the cards have fell so perfectly for them.
The Klopp appointment fell perfectly for them as well.
 

GoonerBear

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Scousers already reckoning he’s a shoe in for them. Would really love if he turns them down, although I can’t see it.
 

2 man midfield

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So annoying that the timing didn’t line up with Gerrard. If he’d just won the league with rangers, he’d be nailed on for the job.
 

DJ Jeff

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Liverpool sacked the manager to get Klopp. In theory any club could have done that in October 2015.
I don't think Klopp would have come to United if they had turfed out Van Gaal at that stage, who hadn't started to fail yet. Would probably have put him off it. I think Chelsea were a mess by then though, maybe he would have gone there if they pulled the trigger on Jose early. But a few months after winning a title probably has the same effect.

I'd say it did fall perfectly for Liverpool with Rodgers falling to pieces at the right time.
 

PickledRed

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So annoying that the timing didn’t line up with Gerrard. If he’d just won the league with rangers, he’d be nailed on for the job.
Liverpool sacked a manager who then went on to dominate Scottish football so I’m guessing Gerrard’s admirable efforts with Rangers would not have turned the heads of FSG.
 

mav_9me

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Bayern are not good at their moment though, surely Liverpool is a better option.
This Bayern team is under performing imo. Easily fixable by Xabi I feel.

As opposed to following a legendary manager like Klopp.
 

2 man midfield

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Liverpool sacked a manager who then went on to dominate Scottish football so I’m guessing Gerrard’s admirable efforts with Rangers would not have turned the heads of FSG.
Sir Alex coached in Scotland first, he didn’t turn out badly. The Liverpool fans would’ve surely been on board given that he was touted as Klopps successor even before he went to rangers.
 

horsechoker

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Sir Alex coached in Scotland first, he didn’t turn out badly. The Liverpool fans would’ve surely been on board given that he was touted as Klopps successor even before he went to rangers.
Man of the hour Mate Postecoglou also managed in Scotland
 

V.O.

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I've seen the sense in most of the caf word filters, but this AIonso one is baffling. What's the need for it?
 

Hammondo

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This Bayern team is under performing imo. Easily fixable by Xabi I feel.

As opposed to following a legendary manager like Klopp.
Possibly, but also the PL is way more appetising bundesliga.
 

Gordon S

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Super impressive to dismantle Bayern like this! Bayern have for sure a stronger squad but just couldn`t figure out how to deal with them. like the football as well.
Jim seems ambitious, hope we have our eyes on him.