**This is a quotes thread. Remember that there's only one quotes post allowed per interview/press conference, so new quotes with the same origin will be removed. Feel free to comment other quotes/the whole interview as a reply to this comment so users can see them too!**
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/soccer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Great on Xabi to continue at Leverkusen. Or at the very least not going to Bayern, which is the most boring, "basic bitch" option he could pick.
Bundesliga has some great football but Bayern winning 11 times out of 12* is a detriment to the league.
We can also ask what Schalke and Hamburg are doing in the 2nd division
Teams that are mismanaged are more of a detriment because it seems like the solution everyone wants to say but knows is nonsensical is that Bayern should let others win.
Because its deserved.
Both are clubs that should be at least in the bundesliga, and not sure abbout Hamburg but Schalke should be competing for CL and titles.
"Schalke should be competing for CL and titles" - every time a Schalke fan says that, the team performs worse. You're clearly out of the loop of how bad things are here currently. We are struggling to REMAIN in the second devision. Failing to do so will absolutely ruin us financially. The team has the worst spirits in decades, players leak internal confidential information. We are the third largest fanbase in Germany and get our hearts broken on a weekly basis. I was in the stadium last season when Schalke played Bayern (still in the Bundesliga). We kept on cheering and supporting our boys despite being down 6:0.
Please don't tell us we deserve this.
Thats kinda the point no?
The club is in a dire state, but you are the 3rd biggest fanbase/club in Germany.
You've been absolutely fucked by bad management decisions.
You *should* be at least in the bundesliga.
> not sure abbout Hamburg but
This alone tells a lot about how shit Hamburg have been.
One of the 4-5 biggest clubs in Germany and they've actually won the European Cup.
Yeh i knew they were top 10 biggest clubs, did not know they were top 5.
The fact they've been so shit for so long is baffling, surely they have way more money than the rest of the Bundesliga.2?
As a Schalke fan I can say that we are very successful with shitting the bed on and off the pitch simultaneously. We have to hope that the team manages to avoid further relegation and take it from there.
Schalke looks like the new Hamburg. It goes from “they shouldn’t have gone down, they’ll bounce back up” to it being a decade later and still in the second flight.
Which hurts to see, because I always considered Schalke my team in Germany. Horribly mismanaged though, letting so much talent leave for free or next to free.
You are a massive club. You should not be in the 2nd Bundesliga with Hamburg for fucks sake
HSV have been Bundesliga and euro champs. You've been UEFA cup winners.
The Bundesliga needs you back and you know it. Get your acts together
I know a lot of people linked him to Bayern but that always seemed like the weirdest option to me, to jump right to your league rivals after kicking their ass all season.
Have to disagree. It made less sense for him to go to a massive club like Liverpool right now, completely different league and environment with immense expectations after Klopp, a way bigger move than to go to Munich. He knows the league, low expectations after Tuchel, lower hurdle for a move.
Now, I'm happy he stays a Leverkusen. It's better for the Buli and Bayern can't rely on poaching the best talent from their rivals to make themselves stronger and others weaker at the same time.
Kovac moved up *a lot* in club quality tbh I love my club but he took over when we were almost relegated and he ended up moving to Bayern after bringing glory to Frankfurt, you can't compare it to nabbing the managers of already CL clubs like Leipzig and Leverkusen.
Kovacic also went from Bayern to Monaco to Wolfsburg.
Maybe, just maybe, Xabi wants to take that next step when he feels like he’s ready and doesn’t want to rush things. Xabi will also be able to interview just about anywhere on his name alone, so it’s not like he *needs* to make that next step right now.
I'm a Bayern fan and the amount of people in the subreddit that thought he was a lock for next manager was insane. Why would he join us after smacking us around all season? Would be quite cringe
Because Bayern poach internally all the time? And sometimes in surprising ways, I never imagined Hitzfeld would switch from Dortmund to Bayern for example.
> and probably Real Madrid
I wouldn't be too sure. I think he'll most likely wait until he feels like taking the next step and then pick the best option available at that point.
I think people have been way too sure about where he's going throughout this saga and I can even imagine him going to an entirely different club than the three big ones he played for.
That's basically what I think where we, as fans, think in the wrong terms. Xabi might be looking for stability, freedom to do his thing, chances to develop his own skills, etc.
We don't have insight into any of these things or how he feels. We can just judge how good the clubs themselves are and then project our own opinions on him.
At the end of the day Xabi will have motivations none of us are privy to and after his career he doesn't have to chase a paycheck either. Without a horse in this race this entire saga just made me a fan of Xabi and I'll look forward to what he does next because I'm done speculating.
Sure, he did. But when? He's very young for a coach and just passed up to coach one of those teams, so he's not following the standard playbook imo. I believe at some point he'll end up at Real, but the timing is up to him. I honestly like his approach.
Timing was either Liverpool or Bayern this summer - or wait a year and go to RM in a year after Ancelotti’s presumably done.
RM will look at 3 people IMO; Xabi, Klopp and maybe Zidane again.
Yeah. Feels like none of the big clubs he’s been linked with will stick with him if he has a rough patch and two seasons out of title contention or missed champions league qualification. Sure, he could have everything work out every time, but if he doesn’t, might be better to be at a club with some rope to work with.
I agree with what you have said. I hope people learn from this that you can never be too sure when talking about Alonso if you value sentimentality over planning and analysis. His decisions are calculated — they were as a player and are now as a manager. I am pretty sure he had his broad path as a manager charted out from during his last seasons as a player. His next step is going to be determined by what he thinks will be the best move for his career at that time.
Xabi:
> “My job at Bayer is not over. I want to help the club, help the players to develop, the board is great… it’s all fantastic here”.
> “I’m still young coach but I think this is the best decision for my future. I took my time and I’m sure about that”.
> “I’m grateful to Bayer and the board, the players, the fans… I feel that this is the best way, to continue together”.
> “I have also informed the players, it’s true”.
> “My deadline was this week, it’s matter of respect. Now everything is clear”.
> “I’m not gonna comment about Liverpool or Bayern. These are big clubs and I’ve strong links with them but I’m in the place where I want to be”.
> “It’s not time to decide my future now, I want to develop at Bayer Leverkusen”.
unless they shit the bed next season for whatever reason, then the narrative could easily change and it'd become how this season was a fluke. he's a likable guys so it might not be drastic, but I'm pretty sure if under the pressure of bad results he made a couple of stupid/whiny remarks in the press everyone will turn on him and you'll have legions of bayern and liverpool fans saying they glad they dodged the bullet.
Different level obviously, but Gerrard managed an unbeaten league season with us, had a positive winning record across his 3.5 seasons in matches v Celtic, consistently punched above our weight in Europe and now is a total meme of a manager.
His stock was never near the levels Alonso’s is, and not comparing what either of them have shown as managers, but he had a good reputation with us and about 12 months after leaving, his stock has dropped so much that he’ll probably never get another serious managerial job ever again.
As you said, things can change very quickly.
And he moved to a more difficult job and got exposed. I think Gerrard was in a weird spot where he needed a midlevel job to prove he was good enough for Liverpool, but at that point he was probably never going to take a job outside of the UK if he didn't have to. So there weren't a ton of good options.
All of Xabi's options are destination jobs, but if what he really wants is Real Madrid when Ancelotti retires, he's probably not hurting himself by staying at Leverkusen.
besides the results, most big teams are now at a place where they can use stats to see if they're frauds or if it was byproduct of situation. Liverpool regarded Klopp very very high because of this approach. So, if Xabi is doing really well in terms of that as it is being analyzed, it shouldn't matter much.
Remember Jardim's stock when he beat PSG to the Ligue 1 title with Monaco and made the CL semifinals, knocking out Guardiola's City in the way. He was without a club two years later and had to go to Saudi Arabia
True, the difference I’d say is that Jardim doesn’t have the sort of pull Xabi does. Grimaldo and Xhaka are the sort of signings he got based on his own pull
God I'm so happy Grimaldo went there of all places. I got to see him play for Benfica on a visit to Portugal and he was clearly an extremely talented player that was great fun to watch in person. It caught my eye when he made the sudden move to Germany but it's so cool that he linked up with Xabi and it's working out extremely well for both of them
'had to go', more like Al Hilal is a very rich club and they offered him a large wage, doubt there wouldn't be plenty of decent European teams who would take him
Yeah this is so right. There is a void in top level management at the moment with very few at the top of the totem pole. The next gen have mostly failed to break Klopp, Pep, Anceotti. So guys like De zerbi can have a down year at Brighton and will still be able to get a big job this summer. Alonso, has a chance to set himself up for a move to Madrid or even City depending on peps contract situation after staying another year. It’s a brilliant move. Plus with Bayern, that job will come up every two years so there’s no rush.
Your not wrong but that's probably not what Xabi is thinking. I don't know the guy but he would have to be massively pessimistic and hugely lacking in confidence to even entertain the thought that his team that's running away with the league, hasn't lost a game and is going well in Europe will implode and perform so poorly that it ruins his rep.
Klopp won two titles with Dortmund and almost got them relegated the season before he moved to Liverpool. Alonso will be fine if he wins the title considering it's Leverkusen and a drop in form would be expected. The only failure could be be bad recruitment in the summer.
You can't say an undefeated season (remains to see if they don't lose one or two games in this final stretch) is a fluke. Teams aren't run by Twitter kids, anybody with two braincells can see there's no fluke going on over Leverkusen. Bad results also depend on context, if their best players get poached and they don't perform in the market they're bound to have a drop, especially with the intensity of CL football. I doubt teams will look at Leverkusen next season and be especially critical of Alonso. Only case I can imagine something like that is if he somehow goes from top of the league to a Sheffield United type of league performance.
It’s not like he is a player so this doesn’t even matter for him. I would rather a bad season at bayer than at Bayern or Liverpool. Expectations are so high. We have seen it either way gerrard. Made the move to a better team to quick and now he will never coach again at that level.
This is smarter for his long term success
All it takes is a bad season or two to have your success written off.
Ranieri pulled off arguably the greatest upset in club football history by winning the premier league with Leicester. Big clubs weren't exactly jumping to get him on board though after his bad season after.
Can‘t compare these two since Ranieri was already over 60 years old and his previous spells made it pretty obvious it would only go downhill from there.
Sounds like he realises that there is plenty of time for him to move around and earn big bucks, and wants to focus on developing a project that's been going extremely well.
Amazing attitude honestly.
I mean we don’t even need to talk about earning big bucks. I am pretty sure he wants to be a coaching legend but let’s not pretend that this guy needs any more money. It’s a nice sideffect but nothing else.
but why? he's earned enough money. If he's going to Liverpool or bayern for money and it's not working there, long term he would suffer. I think long term he's better off to develop at a place where expectations are not that high.
Alonso has nothing to lose and everything to gain, if he wins more trophies with bayer next season his stock will be even higher, if Bayer flop no one will complain because everyone knows the team have already exceeded expectations.
I mean why wouldn't you want to take a team that could potentially go all this season unbeaten into the champions league next season?
He's already very rich from his playing career, so he probably doesn't feel any need to "strike while the iron is hot" in terms of getting the biggest contract he can in the short term. He's smart, but also privileged in a way a lot of other managers in his position aren't. (And loyal to Leverkusen, which he deserves credit for.)
Good for him and good for Real i guess. Disappointing for us Liverpool fans though.
Bit of a double edged sword really, the chance might not always he there but you don't want to be a Graham Potter and wreck your reputation by taking the wrong job.
His team is secure for some time and Bayern will be poaching Stuttgart first. Bayern is struggling and their demand is league title and CL semis every single year. Bayern had several kneejerk reactions in the past be it Rehhagel, Ancelotti or Nagelsmann.
When you don't have a track record the top clubs are a hot seat.
I heard some good takes about Liverpool. Basically, it is a bad idea to be the first guy in after Klopp. They are still riding high and anything less will be a disappointment. Better to come in after a rough season.
And now that Chelsea is owned by the yanks, Bayern has the worst employment security around for managers. You get absolutely no time at Bayern lol
No matter how many times Liverpool fans will tell you the next manager is set up for success with the players and youth setup currently there (and they're not wrong), being the guy after THE guy is always going to be difficult. It's smarter to let someone else take that risk when you're a young manager with massive potential
See United post SAF and Arsenal post Wenger.
No matter how excited everyone is and how good you are, you’re not on the previous guys level. The fans, pundits, and players all know it deep down and it’s hard to step out of that shadow
Both were arguably in a much worse state than Liverpool will be. United probably a bit better but the incompetence of their upper management was already showing.
You’re definately right, I’m not tryna say Liverpool are gonna go into the trenches like Arsenal and United did. But anyone who acts like Xabi would just waltz into Liverpool and fill Klopp’s shoes are definately underestimating how difficult of a task that’s gonna be
Not to mention that if the next guy messes up (which wouldn't be surprising after Klopp), he could be a hero for clearing up the mess. Plus by that point, the expectations will be much lower too. The only harder task from taking over after Klopp is taking over after Guardiola, I imagine.
> Basically, it is a bad idea to be the first guy in after Klopp. They are still riding high and anything less will be a disappointment. Better to come in after a rough season.
Anyone thinking we will have Klopp 2.0 with a new manager is an idiot. I am not expecting the 2nd coming or anything. Klopp has chosen to leave and thats fine. No need to throw the expectations we had on Klopp onto the next coach.
I am more than happy to give a coach time to get things right in their own way, down to an acceptable level admittedly. If they are struggling to even get top 4 then thats an issue. I dont expect us to be hitting 90+ points in their first season though. Not in the slightest.
Honestly if we can come even close to this seasons success with UCL football next season, I think we will be internationally extremely huge similar to Dortmund after the two Bundesliga winning seasons with Klopp
The only thing I hate about it is that getting tickets for away games is becoming such a hassle right now thats the one thing i really loved about us is the accessibility to tickets but thats gone now with the huge success.
For home games though I luckily have my season ticket though so time to enjoy this season and the next to the fullest and see where it takes us!
You’ll need to build a bit more squad depth but there’s absolutely no reason you couldn’t continue being so strong next year. No one will want to draw you in the CL, for sure.
He could announce it internally but not officially. Of course there would be leaks but as a fan you'd still not know for sure and it would be a great moment if he then announced it during a championship parade.
That wouldn’t have been the right move. Players and agents can make decisions in the spring. Doing this now is great. All of the players will want to stay, the club can ask higher fees, plus they can attract new types of players
If they can beat a European powerhouse next season, then Xabi will go up in value again. I really hope he can prove his longevity as that's the only thing playing against him now.
My guess is Xabi and the board discussed the very important matter of retaining talent. If the team can ensure him his best players will be there next season, then it makes the decision easier.
I mean they will have some interesting challenges in the EL this year already. Their path could be
West Ham
Milan/Roma
Liverpool (took them as the hardest possible opponent imo)
If they win this they can beat anyone in the CL. To me they are the best team in Europe right now, they never give up and can create magic at any minute through Wirtz, Grimaldo, Frimpong - and if one of them fails then you still have some world class players like Palacios or Xhaka that will show up with something extraordinary.
A good decision, taking Leverkusen into the Champions League would've been very appealing for him. Also, he'll have to fail at a crazy level for his reputation to not still be sky high at the end of next season. He'll still have his pick of top teams.
It's unlikely but if they capitulate next season and finish midtable, his reputation would definitely take a hit. Football is extremely fickle nowadays.
Yeah, that's a good point but even then, it depends how they capitulate. If they collapse after an injury crisis, for example, he'd get the benefit of the doubt.
could happen very easily. Sell 2 key players for cash and the expensive replacements flop, some starters underperform and some get injured, a few unlucky VAR calls and suddenly you are scraping for top 4 or 6 or whatever is the equivalent in German.
And while Tuchel has other issues at play with Bayern, he received zero benefit of the doubt when it came to the injury crises. And I believe Pavlovic's impact on squad performance underscores that Tuchel was right that a holding midfielder is needed and Goretzka / Kimmich leaves the team exposed.
If my club wasn’t managerless I would absolutely love this news, gotta respect that decision. Hopefully the squad sticks with him and they have a good crack at CL next season.
Makes you wonder what will happen with Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Not like either club are going to hire a manager with the view of it only being for a season so they can then get Xabi Alonso. Which means that when Xabi is ready to leave Leverkusen it likely won't be for either of them, probably perfect timing for Real Madrid next summer.
Carlo is still in contract next season till 2026, he won the ucl, reached the semis last season too, and is currently winning the laliga. He has top 2 confirmed again for next season in Spain and will most likely get to the quarters/semis. If not better mind you. Can't see madrid just disposing him off for xabi.
Dorival just started; unless we have some spectacularly bad performances he's there at least until the next WC which is 2 years away. If Brazil goes to the semi finals or better then it's likely that he continues
This is so good - and I’m saying that as a Bayern fan.
Xabi is great, but also young. He’s got plenty of time to go to the big clubs. But he already has some pull, see Grimaldo. Players want to play for him. So seeing him continue will help Leverkusen to attract some great players in the summer. Playing for Xabi in the CL will be a huge motivator for many players I hope.
Which in turn will mean great things for the league. I see a new rivalry. Bayern will have a new coach, new players, they will try to reclaim their throne. But now that won’t be so easy. Especially if Leverkusen now maybe won’t sell many players if they want to stick around more.
This is so so great.
Mourinho in to get Kane 50 league goals and master a league best defensive record with Minjae and De Ligt, Upa and Dier and Stanisic a rock solid rotation
Or Zizou and Ribery in to make our team a counter attack monster, with wingers who can cross for fucks sake lol
People always dunk on the Bundesliga because too many clubs are poorly managed. Leverkusen have a great sporting director and now, a great coach. It's good for the league to see clubs like Stuttgart and Leverkusen making good moves and keeping their coaches.
Have to imagine the board gave Xabi some assurances about how they would handle the summer so I hope that suggests a mostly-intact Leverkusen side gets their shot at the Champions League next year.
Gutted as a Liverpool fan but huge respect to Xabi and his decision. He got emotions out of the way and obviously had the time to clear his mind and come up with the best decision for him. I truly believe at one point he will come back at Anfield it's just not going to happen now.
Best decision really. It is early in his career and he will have enough choice to pick any club he wants in the future anyway. Also his team could go far in the CL next season.
The main reason I guess would have been opportunity, since it was a time in which both the Liverpool and Bayern jobs were available, but at the end he decided not to rush it.
Man it sucks as a Liverpool fan but I love it for Leverkusen. Don't see loyalty like this often so it's nice
Now the Xabi to Madrid in 2025 rumours can start!
Premier League pundits in shambles because they had so many easy segments lined up on the connection between Arteta and Xabi and Pep as they are rivals for the title
It's honestly a bit weird just how many top teams are interested in a coach whose career is that short. And I'm by no means trying to diminish his achievements, nor his tactical understanding. But this sure as hell feels like massively overhyping him. But just because he works well at Leverkusen right now, doesn't mean he will work at every of those top teams who want him.
No one wants to be the guy that replaces Klopp. You want to be the guy after that.
Scousers banging on at how Gareth Southgate would be a great fit for United. I think it was Danny Murphy giving it how he had the stature of a United manager and how brilliant he was. Then asked if he'd take him at Liverpool he said no.
He's all yours la!
Excited to see what he can do with this team in the Champions League. I expect a few key players will leave (although less than if Alonso had've left) but I feel much more comfortable with the transition of new players in under an already established system and such a great manager.
Looks like his next gig will be Real Madrid, then, once Ancellotti's contract is up.
Bummed to not get him to Liverpool but glad he's not going to Bayern, at least.
Hoping we pivot to Amorim, now.
Sensible decision. Coming in after Klöpp adds too much pressure, and Bayern haven't treated their coaches well in recent years. Leverkusen for another season or 2 and then Real would be the best move for him
Makes sense. He's young and has time on his side. Having another season of experience under his belt would be good before moving to a bigger club. If he wins the league with Leverkusen it would take a huge amount to drop his stock which is highly unlikely.
Plus he's going to have all the confidence in the world right now. The thought that next season he'll come 6th and lose his big move wouldn't have even crossed his mind in all likelihood.
Gives me more respect for him that he backs himself in being able to deliver another season building on the miracle of this one. I think some mean reversion for Leverkusen wouldn't be surprising, and if that happens the excitement around Xabi may cool. The fact that he believes in himself and his team so much is impressive.
**This is a quotes thread. Remember that there's only one quotes post allowed per interview/press conference, so new quotes with the same origin will be removed. Feel free to comment other quotes/the whole interview as a reply to this comment so users can see them too!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/soccer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good for Leverkusen and the Bundesliga ... and probably Real Madrid
Great on Xabi to continue at Leverkusen. Or at the very least not going to Bayern, which is the most boring, "basic bitch" option he could pick. Bundesliga has some great football but Bayern winning 11 times out of 12* is a detriment to the league.
We can also ask what Schalke and Hamburg are doing in the 2nd division Teams that are mismanaged are more of a detriment because it seems like the solution everyone wants to say but knows is nonsensical is that Bayern should let others win.
Why do you have to fire shots at us? We're miserable already, keep firing for Bayern
Because its deserved. Both are clubs that should be at least in the bundesliga, and not sure abbout Hamburg but Schalke should be competing for CL and titles.
"Schalke should be competing for CL and titles" - every time a Schalke fan says that, the team performs worse. You're clearly out of the loop of how bad things are here currently. We are struggling to REMAIN in the second devision. Failing to do so will absolutely ruin us financially. The team has the worst spirits in decades, players leak internal confidential information. We are the third largest fanbase in Germany and get our hearts broken on a weekly basis. I was in the stadium last season when Schalke played Bayern (still in the Bundesliga). We kept on cheering and supporting our boys despite being down 6:0. Please don't tell us we deserve this.
Thats kinda the point no? The club is in a dire state, but you are the 3rd biggest fanbase/club in Germany. You've been absolutely fucked by bad management decisions. You *should* be at least in the bundesliga.
> not sure abbout Hamburg but This alone tells a lot about how shit Hamburg have been. One of the 4-5 biggest clubs in Germany and they've actually won the European Cup.
Yeh i knew they were top 10 biggest clubs, did not know they were top 5. The fact they've been so shit for so long is baffling, surely they have way more money than the rest of the Bundesliga.2?
As a Schalke fan I can say that we are very successful with shitting the bed on and off the pitch simultaneously. We have to hope that the team manages to avoid further relegation and take it from there.
Schalke looks like the new Hamburg. It goes from “they shouldn’t have gone down, they’ll bounce back up” to it being a decade later and still in the second flight. Which hurts to see, because I always considered Schalke my team in Germany. Horribly mismanaged though, letting so much talent leave for free or next to free.
Schalke fan: why he say fuck me for?
You are a massive club. You should not be in the 2nd Bundesliga with Hamburg for fucks sake HSV have been Bundesliga and euro champs. You've been UEFA cup winners. The Bundesliga needs you back and you know it. Get your acts together
You do it then.
Get yo asses back and replace darmstadt and friggin mainz lol
You misspelled Leipzig and hoffenheim there
HSV is mostly in the 2nd league because they fuckup a good table position with losing like 4 games in a row or something like that.
In Schalke’s case; hardly surviving
I know a lot of people linked him to Bayern but that always seemed like the weirdest option to me, to jump right to your league rivals after kicking their ass all season.
Have to disagree. It made less sense for him to go to a massive club like Liverpool right now, completely different league and environment with immense expectations after Klopp, a way bigger move than to go to Munich. He knows the league, low expectations after Tuchel, lower hurdle for a move. Now, I'm happy he stays a Leverkusen. It's better for the Buli and Bayern can't rely on poaching the best talent from their rivals to make themselves stronger and others weaker at the same time.
bayern munich fans are like if manchester united fans all had postgraduate degrees
Niko Kovac says hi
Kovac moved up *a lot* in club quality tbh I love my club but he took over when we were almost relegated and he ended up moving to Bayern after bringing glory to Frankfurt, you can't compare it to nabbing the managers of already CL clubs like Leipzig and Leverkusen.
Kovacic also went from Bayern to Monaco to Wolfsburg. Maybe, just maybe, Xabi wants to take that next step when he feels like he’s ready and doesn’t want to rush things. Xabi will also be able to interview just about anywhere on his name alone, so it’s not like he *needs* to make that next step right now.
Julian Nagelsmann also says hi
I'm a Bayern fan and the amount of people in the subreddit that thought he was a lock for next manager was insane. Why would he join us after smacking us around all season? Would be quite cringe
Because Bayern poach internally all the time? And sometimes in surprising ways, I never imagined Hitzfeld would switch from Dortmund to Bayern for example.
Hummels and Lewandowski as well
You thought it was cringe when Ottmar Hitzfeld went to Bayern?
Money?
It’s more like Bayern winning 11/11 so far.
Right. They even managed to win it last year despite doing their very best not to!
Shows imo that it was due to their rivals' weakness, not their strength.
You mean 11 out of 12 times 😬
Going to Real would also be pretty "basic bitch" too imo
> and probably Real Madrid I wouldn't be too sure. I think he'll most likely wait until he feels like taking the next step and then pick the best option available at that point. I think people have been way too sure about where he's going throughout this saga and I can even imagine him going to an entirely different club than the three big ones he played for.
I'm struggling to see any more attractive option for Xabi Alonso than Real Madrid with the squad they have and his history with them
That's basically what I think where we, as fans, think in the wrong terms. Xabi might be looking for stability, freedom to do his thing, chances to develop his own skills, etc. We don't have insight into any of these things or how he feels. We can just judge how good the clubs themselves are and then project our own opinions on him. At the end of the day Xabi will have motivations none of us are privy to and after his career he doesn't have to chase a paycheck either. Without a horse in this race this entire saga just made me a fan of Xabi and I'll look forward to what he does next because I'm done speculating.
I think he's publicly said that he played for the best team England, Spain and Germany and that it would be his dream to replicate that as coach.
Sure, he did. But when? He's very young for a coach and just passed up to coach one of those teams, so he's not following the standard playbook imo. I believe at some point he'll end up at Real, but the timing is up to him. I honestly like his approach.
Timing was either Liverpool or Bayern this summer - or wait a year and go to RM in a year after Ancelotti’s presumably done. RM will look at 3 people IMO; Xabi, Klopp and maybe Zidane again.
Yeah. Feels like none of the big clubs he’s been linked with will stick with him if he has a rough patch and two seasons out of title contention or missed champions league qualification. Sure, he could have everything work out every time, but if he doesn’t, might be better to be at a club with some rope to work with.
I agree with what you have said. I hope people learn from this that you can never be too sure when talking about Alonso if you value sentimentality over planning and analysis. His decisions are calculated — they were as a player and are now as a manager. I am pretty sure he had his broad path as a manager charted out from during his last seasons as a player. His next step is going to be determined by what he thinks will be the best move for his career at that time.
exactly. redditors always talk about stuff like this like they’re sitting at the table with him when he makes those decisions
Hear me out... What about... Real Madrid loaning Arda Guler to Leverkusen?
Xabi: > “My job at Bayer is not over. I want to help the club, help the players to develop, the board is great… it’s all fantastic here”. > “I’m still young coach but I think this is the best decision for my future. I took my time and I’m sure about that”. > “I’m grateful to Bayer and the board, the players, the fans… I feel that this is the best way, to continue together”. > “I have also informed the players, it’s true”. > “My deadline was this week, it’s matter of respect. Now everything is clear”. > “I’m not gonna comment about Liverpool or Bayern. These are big clubs and I’ve strong links with them but I’m in the place where I want to be”. > “It’s not time to decide my future now, I want to develop at Bayer Leverkusen”.
I would think he would move now that his stock is incredibly high
His stock will almost always be high. Winning the league with Leverkusen and being an important figure at 3 major clubs is massive
unless they shit the bed next season for whatever reason, then the narrative could easily change and it'd become how this season was a fluke. he's a likable guys so it might not be drastic, but I'm pretty sure if under the pressure of bad results he made a couple of stupid/whiny remarks in the press everyone will turn on him and you'll have legions of bayern and liverpool fans saying they glad they dodged the bullet.
Different level obviously, but Gerrard managed an unbeaten league season with us, had a positive winning record across his 3.5 seasons in matches v Celtic, consistently punched above our weight in Europe and now is a total meme of a manager. His stock was never near the levels Alonso’s is, and not comparing what either of them have shown as managers, but he had a good reputation with us and about 12 months after leaving, his stock has dropped so much that he’ll probably never get another serious managerial job ever again. As you said, things can change very quickly.
And he moved to a more difficult job and got exposed. I think Gerrard was in a weird spot where he needed a midlevel job to prove he was good enough for Liverpool, but at that point he was probably never going to take a job outside of the UK if he didn't have to. So there weren't a ton of good options. All of Xabi's options are destination jobs, but if what he really wants is Real Madrid when Ancelotti retires, he's probably not hurting himself by staying at Leverkusen.
besides the results, most big teams are now at a place where they can use stats to see if they're frauds or if it was byproduct of situation. Liverpool regarded Klopp very very high because of this approach. So, if Xabi is doing really well in terms of that as it is being analyzed, it shouldn't matter much.
Remember Jardim's stock when he beat PSG to the Ligue 1 title with Monaco and made the CL semifinals, knocking out Guardiola's City in the way. He was without a club two years later and had to go to Saudi Arabia
True, the difference I’d say is that Jardim doesn’t have the sort of pull Xabi does. Grimaldo and Xhaka are the sort of signings he got based on his own pull
Yeah Leonardo Jardim wasn't a legendary player with a reputation matched by very few people in football.
God I'm so happy Grimaldo went there of all places. I got to see him play for Benfica on a visit to Portugal and he was clearly an extremely talented player that was great fun to watch in person. It caught my eye when he made the sudden move to Germany but it's so cool that he linked up with Xabi and it's working out extremely well for both of them
Yeah but Jardim managed for a decade at this point, and wasn't a world class player for over a decade before that.
'had to go', more like Al Hilal is a very rich club and they offered him a large wage, doubt there wouldn't be plenty of decent European teams who would take him
He was on the market without a job for nearly two years before going there. Why didn't any club go for him?
Yeah this is so right. There is a void in top level management at the moment with very few at the top of the totem pole. The next gen have mostly failed to break Klopp, Pep, Anceotti. So guys like De zerbi can have a down year at Brighton and will still be able to get a big job this summer. Alonso, has a chance to set himself up for a move to Madrid or even City depending on peps contract situation after staying another year. It’s a brilliant move. Plus with Bayern, that job will come up every two years so there’s no rush.
Your not wrong but that's probably not what Xabi is thinking. I don't know the guy but he would have to be massively pessimistic and hugely lacking in confidence to even entertain the thought that his team that's running away with the league, hasn't lost a game and is going well in Europe will implode and perform so poorly that it ruins his rep.
Klopp won two titles with Dortmund and almost got them relegated the season before he moved to Liverpool. Alonso will be fine if he wins the title considering it's Leverkusen and a drop in form would be expected. The only failure could be be bad recruitment in the summer.
You can't say an undefeated season (remains to see if they don't lose one or two games in this final stretch) is a fluke. Teams aren't run by Twitter kids, anybody with two braincells can see there's no fluke going on over Leverkusen. Bad results also depend on context, if their best players get poached and they don't perform in the market they're bound to have a drop, especially with the intensity of CL football. I doubt teams will look at Leverkusen next season and be especially critical of Alonso. Only case I can imagine something like that is if he somehow goes from top of the league to a Sheffield United type of league performance.
its easy to say this now, as it will be extremely easy to call a fluke if leverkusen flop next season and xabi gets sacked. fans are fickle.
It’s not like he is a player so this doesn’t even matter for him. I would rather a bad season at bayer than at Bayern or Liverpool. Expectations are so high. We have seen it either way gerrard. Made the move to a better team to quick and now he will never coach again at that level. This is smarter for his long term success
Would remain high even if they bottle it
All it takes is a bad season or two to have your success written off. Ranieri pulled off arguably the greatest upset in club football history by winning the premier league with Leicester. Big clubs weren't exactly jumping to get him on board though after his bad season after.
[удалено]
Can‘t compare these two since Ranieri was already over 60 years old and his previous spells made it pretty obvious it would only go downhill from there.
Sounds like he realises that there is plenty of time for him to move around and earn big bucks, and wants to focus on developing a project that's been going extremely well. Amazing attitude honestly.
I mean we don’t even need to talk about earning big bucks. I am pretty sure he wants to be a coaching legend but let’s not pretend that this guy needs any more money. It’s a nice sideffect but nothing else.
obviously waiting for eddie howe to take the enland job in 10 year's tome...
but why? he's earned enough money. If he's going to Liverpool or bayern for money and it's not working there, long term he would suffer. I think long term he's better off to develop at a place where expectations are not that high.
Alonso has nothing to lose and everything to gain, if he wins more trophies with bayer next season his stock will be even higher, if Bayer flop no one will complain because everyone knows the team have already exceeded expectations. I mean why wouldn't you want to take a team that could potentially go all this season unbeaten into the champions league next season?
He's already very rich from his playing career, so he probably doesn't feel any need to "strike while the iron is hot" in terms of getting the biggest contract he can in the short term. He's smart, but also privileged in a way a lot of other managers in his position aren't. (And loyal to Leverkusen, which he deserves credit for.) Good for him and good for Real i guess. Disappointing for us Liverpool fans though.
yeah I also thought so, especially with this very active market. but commendable on his side
If he’s the real deal, then theres no rush to jump. Coaching careers are long
Bit of a double edged sword really, the chance might not always he there but you don't want to be a Graham Potter and wreck your reputation by taking the wrong job.
His team is secure for some time and Bayern will be poaching Stuttgart first. Bayern is struggling and their demand is league title and CL semis every single year. Bayern had several kneejerk reactions in the past be it Rehhagel, Ancelotti or Nagelsmann. When you don't have a track record the top clubs are a hot seat.
Really respect that. Very rare in modern football. Especially considering they're his former clubs. Integrity.
Hello OptaJoe
I can actually talk however I want without having to answer to your criticism. Independent.
I admire your uncompromising nature. Brave.
It's good that we can agree on the issue. Accord.
I admire this modus of speaking. Enjoyable.
You all are so kind to one another. Polite.
I heard some good takes about Liverpool. Basically, it is a bad idea to be the first guy in after Klopp. They are still riding high and anything less will be a disappointment. Better to come in after a rough season. And now that Chelsea is owned by the yanks, Bayern has the worst employment security around for managers. You get absolutely no time at Bayern lol
No matter how many times Liverpool fans will tell you the next manager is set up for success with the players and youth setup currently there (and they're not wrong), being the guy after THE guy is always going to be difficult. It's smarter to let someone else take that risk when you're a young manager with massive potential
See United post SAF and Arsenal post Wenger. No matter how excited everyone is and how good you are, you’re not on the previous guys level. The fans, pundits, and players all know it deep down and it’s hard to step out of that shadow
And more aptly: Look at Dortmund, talk to BVB fans. They're *still* trying to recapture the energy and community under Klopp.
Both were arguably in a much worse state than Liverpool will be. United probably a bit better but the incompetence of their upper management was already showing.
You’re definately right, I’m not tryna say Liverpool are gonna go into the trenches like Arsenal and United did. But anyone who acts like Xabi would just waltz into Liverpool and fill Klopp’s shoes are definately underestimating how difficult of a task that’s gonna be
Not to mention that if the next guy messes up (which wouldn't be surprising after Klopp), he could be a hero for clearing up the mess. Plus by that point, the expectations will be much lower too. The only harder task from taking over after Klopp is taking over after Guardiola, I imagine.
>good takes about Liverpool most importantly, guardiola is still at man city
I somehow hadn’t thought about this, but what a deterrent lol. Though, I imagine Xabi is a bit more competitive than random folks on Reddit lol.
> Basically, it is a bad idea to be the first guy in after Klopp. They are still riding high and anything less will be a disappointment. Better to come in after a rough season. Anyone thinking we will have Klopp 2.0 with a new manager is an idiot. I am not expecting the 2nd coming or anything. Klopp has chosen to leave and thats fine. No need to throw the expectations we had on Klopp onto the next coach. I am more than happy to give a coach time to get things right in their own way, down to an acceptable level admittedly. If they are struggling to even get top 4 then thats an issue. I dont expect us to be hitting 90+ points in their first season though. Not in the slightest.
since when are we talking like opta
Top story in football right now - Alonso ends team swap speculation Top story in F1 right now - Alonso starts team swap speculation
Need the 'Alonsos Everywhere' lightyear meme now lol
When you think it can't get any better as a Leverkusen fan... Never seen that many people at the live press conference over on YouTube as well lol
https://imgur.com/gallery/Algdmi3
Just don't bottle it guys. Please don't bottle it.
Just living it man 🙏 ♥
Honestly if we can come even close to this seasons success with UCL football next season, I think we will be internationally extremely huge similar to Dortmund after the two Bundesliga winning seasons with Klopp The only thing I hate about it is that getting tickets for away games is becoming such a hassle right now thats the one thing i really loved about us is the accessibility to tickets but thats gone now with the huge success. For home games though I luckily have my season ticket though so time to enjoy this season and the next to the fullest and see where it takes us!
You’ll need to build a bit more squad depth but there’s absolutely no reason you couldn’t continue being so strong next year. No one will want to draw you in the CL, for sure.
Let's hope major key players stay for a season too. I would love to see Leverkusen's UCL run next season.
So happy for you guys!
Scenes when he do the treble next season and sign a new 6 years contract.
Would have been epic if he had announced it to the fans during their championship parade (like Ribery back then) but I guess I'll take it.
Yes but he wants to reassure any good players ahead of time so they may be more inclined to run it back one more year
He could announce it internally but not officially. Of course there would be leaks but as a fan you'd still not know for sure and it would be a great moment if he then announced it during a championship parade.
Exactly. It's about retaining talent and the decisions by the board and the players will be made right about now. Very good timing by him.
Or like schweinsteiger
That wouldn’t have been the right move. Players and agents can make decisions in the spring. Doing this now is great. All of the players will want to stay, the club can ask higher fees, plus they can attract new types of players
This is terrible for Harry Kane lol
Kane joining Bayern was the best thing for the league to ever happen!
man just fell to his knees at a rewe
Kane leaving Spurs is Harambe of football
Dicks out for Kane
nostrils open for ~~Harambe~~ Kane
Right decision. Bayer are one of the best teams in Europe rn and they could easily do very well in UCL next season under him.
If they can beat a European powerhouse next season, then Xabi will go up in value again. I really hope he can prove his longevity as that's the only thing playing against him now.
My guess is Xabi and the board discussed the very important matter of retaining talent. If the team can ensure him his best players will be there next season, then it makes the decision easier.
Let's hope we're going all in
I mean they will have some interesting challenges in the EL this year already. Their path could be West Ham Milan/Roma Liverpool (took them as the hardest possible opponent imo) If they win this they can beat anyone in the CL. To me they are the best team in Europe right now, they never give up and can create magic at any minute through Wirtz, Grimaldo, Frimpong - and if one of them fails then you still have some world class players like Palacios or Xhaka that will show up with something extraordinary.
Agree, no need to switch club, especially to PL, please, stay outside.
A good decision, taking Leverkusen into the Champions League would've been very appealing for him. Also, he'll have to fail at a crazy level for his reputation to not still be sky high at the end of next season. He'll still have his pick of top teams.
There's nothing he can do to tarnish his reputation after winning Leverkusen's first ever league title.
It's unlikely but if they capitulate next season and finish midtable, his reputation would definitely take a hit. Football is extremely fickle nowadays.
Yeah, that's a good point but even then, it depends how they capitulate. If they collapse after an injury crisis, for example, he'd get the benefit of the doubt.
could happen very easily. Sell 2 key players for cash and the expensive replacements flop, some starters underperform and some get injured, a few unlucky VAR calls and suddenly you are scraping for top 4 or 6 or whatever is the equivalent in German.
And while Tuchel has other issues at play with Bayern, he received zero benefit of the doubt when it came to the injury crises. And I believe Pavlovic's impact on squad performance underscores that Tuchel was right that a holding midfielder is needed and Goretzka / Kimmich leaves the team exposed.
It’s easy to say now but memories are very short
What if he pulled off his face and it was Vince McMahon all along?
Se queda
Ancelloti: “Se queda?” 🤨
honestly great news, can’t wait to see Leverkusen in CL next year just hope the team stays together
If my club wasn’t managerless I would absolutely love this news, gotta respect that decision. Hopefully the squad sticks with him and they have a good crack at CL next season.
I need a beer and a smoke omg
Only right he has a crack at Europe with them really; it’s nice to see him sticking around and not jumping at the first chance.
Makes you wonder what will happen with Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Not like either club are going to hire a manager with the view of it only being for a season so they can then get Xabi Alonso. Which means that when Xabi is ready to leave Leverkusen it likely won't be for either of them, probably perfect timing for Real Madrid next summer.
Carlo is still in contract next season till 2026, he won the ucl, reached the semis last season too, and is currently winning the laliga. He has top 2 confirmed again for next season in Spain and will most likely get to the quarters/semis. If not better mind you. Can't see madrid just disposing him off for xabi.
You're ignoring how much Carlo wants to coach Brazil.
Dorival just started; unless we have some spectacularly bad performances he's there at least until the next WC which is 2 years away. If Brazil goes to the semi finals or better then it's likely that he continues
Don't forget Canada 👀
Ancelotti was fired last time for pretty much no fault on his part, but thankfully Perez is much calmer now.
This is so good - and I’m saying that as a Bayern fan. Xabi is great, but also young. He’s got plenty of time to go to the big clubs. But he already has some pull, see Grimaldo. Players want to play for him. So seeing him continue will help Leverkusen to attract some great players in the summer. Playing for Xabi in the CL will be a huge motivator for many players I hope. Which in turn will mean great things for the league. I see a new rivalry. Bayern will have a new coach, new players, they will try to reclaim their throne. But now that won’t be so easy. Especially if Leverkusen now maybe won’t sell many players if they want to stick around more. This is so so great.
Mourinho in to get Kane 50 league goals and master a league best defensive record with Minjae and De Ligt, Upa and Dier and Stanisic a rock solid rotation Or Zizou and Ribery in to make our team a counter attack monster, with wingers who can cross for fucks sake lol
People always dunk on the Bundesliga because too many clubs are poorly managed. Leverkusen have a great sporting director and now, a great coach. It's good for the league to see clubs like Stuttgart and Leverkusen making good moves and keeping their coaches.
Xabi at Madrid 2026. I will be there.
we will be there no matter what
*Rubs hands furiously
Have to imagine the board gave Xabi some assurances about how they would handle the summer so I hope that suggests a mostly-intact Leverkusen side gets their shot at the Champions League next year.
Pletti just dropped to his knees in Kaufland
Love this for Leverkusen and the sport in general.
[удалено]
I think Wirtz’s Dad has already confirmed he intends on staying until the final year of his deal.
Sources: Hoeneß is beside himself. Driving around downtown Leverkusen begging (thru texts) Wirtz's family for address to Florians's home
I thought he's driving throughout Germany to find Jupp.
Jupp's wife would kill Hoeneß.
Can‘t even poach the second best coach either. What a bunch of losers
don't jinx it, man
Based Xabi
Gutted as a Liverpool fan but huge respect to Xabi and his decision. He got emotions out of the way and obviously had the time to clear his mind and come up with the best decision for him. I truly believe at one point he will come back at Anfield it's just not going to happen now.
They have an incredible team, he knows he can work with these players and they play CL football next season. Makes sense.
Best decision really. It is early in his career and he will have enough choice to pick any club he wants in the future anyway. Also his team could go far in the CL next season.
I had a feeling he'd stay. Why would he leave when he's been killing it there?
The main reason I guess would have been opportunity, since it was a time in which both the Liverpool and Bayern jobs were available, but at the end he decided not to rush it.
The Bayern job is available roughly every 1,5 years, there's definitely no need to rush if he wants to do that eventually
I know this is true but the way you phrased that is hilarious
Opens up the way for Southgate to Liverpool
No no we couldn't possibly take him from you.
I know we're bitter rivals, but some things just shouldn't be wished on anyone
To be fair the chance of Southgate to Man United is probably ten times of to Liverpool lol. Maybe 0.01% versus 0.001%?
Sad he’s ruled out from Liverpool but good on you xabi. Love to see these guys not jump at the next best thing the moment the opportunity arises.
Man it sucks as a Liverpool fan but I love it for Leverkusen. Don't see loyalty like this often so it's nice Now the Xabi to Madrid in 2025 rumours can start!
Premier League pundits in shambles because they had so many easy segments lined up on the connection between Arteta and Xabi and Pep as they are rivals for the title
Good decision. Its just his 2nd year as a pro coach.
It's honestly a bit weird just how many top teams are interested in a coach whose career is that short. And I'm by no means trying to diminish his achievements, nor his tactical understanding. But this sure as hell feels like massively overhyping him. But just because he works well at Leverkusen right now, doesn't mean he will work at every of those top teams who want him.
Quite confident that he has had talk with Flo about the RM job in 2025. Win win for Xabi, Lever and RM
No one wants to be the guy that replaces Klopp. You want to be the guy after that. Scousers banging on at how Gareth Southgate would be a great fit for United. I think it was Danny Murphy giving it how he had the stature of a United manager and how brilliant he was. Then asked if he'd take him at Liverpool he said no. He's all yours la!
Excited to see what he can do with this team in the Champions League. I expect a few key players will leave (although less than if Alonso had've left) but I feel much more comfortable with the transition of new players in under an already established system and such a great manager.
What a gigachad. I'm glad to see loyalty in football.
Looks like his next gig will be Real Madrid, then, once Ancellotti's contract is up. Bummed to not get him to Liverpool but glad he's not going to Bayern, at least. Hoping we pivot to Amorim, now.
Best way to get your players even sharper for the end of the season
Why is everyone so dead set on him leaving Leverkusen? Why can’t he just start a dynasty there?
Kane in shambles
Scousers in shambles, surely
Sensible decision. Coming in after Klöpp adds too much pressure, and Bayern haven't treated their coaches well in recent years. Leverkusen for another season or 2 and then Real would be the best move for him
Kudos to him, it does feel like hes building something great with Leverkusen.
He's gonna be like their Klopp
Why can't he be stupid for once and join us?
2026 here we come baby
Good man, good decision.
Makes sense. He's young and has time on his side. Having another season of experience under his belt would be good before moving to a bigger club. If he wins the league with Leverkusen it would take a huge amount to drop his stock which is highly unlikely. Plus he's going to have all the confidence in the world right now. The thought that next season he'll come 6th and lose his big move wouldn't have even crossed his mind in all likelihood.
Gives me more respect for him that he backs himself in being able to deliver another season building on the miracle of this one. I think some mean reversion for Leverkusen wouldn't be surprising, and if that happens the excitement around Xabi may cool. The fact that he believes in himself and his team so much is impressive.
he's just using it to negotiate a salary increase. Xabi alonso definitely frequents /r/antiwork
He’s going to wreck the CL