Neil Jones has outlined several reasons why he’d have Xabi Alonso ‘at the top of the list’ when it comes to Liverpool hiring a successor to Jurgen Klopp.
Ever since the 56-year-old announced that he’d be stepping down at the end of the season, the Bayer Leverkusen manager has been billed among the leading contenders to take over from the legendary German.
Speaking to EOTK Insider, the journalist explained why he’d like to see the job given to the 42-year-old, who of course was a Champions League winner with the Reds as a player in 2005.
Jones stated: “For me personally, I think Alonso will be at the top of the list and the reason for that comes down to a few things.
“Firstly, he’s obviously a very good manager, secondly, he’s got a Liverpool connection, and thirdly, he’s got a record and history of dealing with young footballers and having an influence on them. He’s done it with Real Sociedad’s B-team and influenced a few players who have gone on to have success with the first-team. He’s done it at Leverkusen too with a lot of good, talented young players there.
“The other thing is, timing-wise, it might be the only chance you get to hire someone like Xabi Alonso. You weren’t expecting Klopp to be gone at this stage but Alonso is going to manage one of the big clubs, I think that’s pretty obvious. He’s going to manage at a higher level than Bayer Leverkusen, with all due respect to them.
“If you don’t do it now, you might be looking in two years’ time and watching Alonso win the Champions League year after year with Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich or Manchester City and you didn’t hire him when you had a chance. I think that, for me, would be why Liverpool would go for Alonso.”
Alonso’s remarkable work with Leverkusen, along with his existing Liverpool connections, have already been highlighted strongly, and Jones makes another solid argument by citing the 42-year-old’s reputation for promoting youth.
His team have the third-youngest average age in the Bundesliga this season, with 20-year-old sensation Florian Wirtz the fourth-most used player at the BayArena so far in the current campaign (Transfermarkt).
The Spaniard would also have some hugely promising youngsters with whom to work if he comes to Anfield, such as Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Ben Doak and Harvey Elliott, among others.
Jones is right to cite the potentially perfect timing, too. This summer is likely to be Alonso’s best opportunity to be handed the reins at Liverpool, whereas two of his other former clubs in Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are generally more inclined to sack managers, so there could be more regular openings at either of those giants of European football.
It could be another few weeks yet before we know for sure who’ll be given the unenviable task of replacing Klopp, but few (if any) seem better equipped for that challenge than the thriving Leverkusen boss.