‘Adaptable’ Xabi Alonso an ‘ideal’ Liverpool manager according to Stan Collymore | OneFootball

The identity of the next Liverpool manager remains a mystery as Jürgen Klopp’s scheduled departure hastens with every weekend that passes.

The club evidently has its targets as its pursuit of former player Xabi Alonso has become a race for a manager considered to be the next great figure in the game. The former Real Sociedad B team coach took his first managerial role with Bayer Leverkusen at the start of October last season. Alonso came in as a replacement for Gerardo Seoane with the German club second from bottom.

His work since then has been transformative and in this campaign, his first full season with the club, Leverkusen are perched at the top of the table with a seven-point gap between them and Bayern Munich in second. Even more impressively, Leverkusen remain undefeated across all competitions playing a brand of football that leaves those watching converts at the chapel of Alonso.

‘Alonso would be able to adapt’

Another former Liverpool player, Stan Collymore who now works for Canal+ believes that Alonso would be the ideal manager to replace Klopp at the Merseyside club.

Speaking exclusively to L’Équipe, Collymore stated his case, “Not only because he’s obtained fantastic results with Leverkusen, but he has already established a strong relationship with [the supporters], who don’t forget that he scored the third goal Istanbul [3-3, 3-2 on penalties].”

Collymore continued, “Some believe that his playing philosophy wouldn’t be compatible with that advocated by Klopp, but I think that Alonso would be able to adapt, both to this Liverpool squad and to the intensity of the Premier League.”

For the case of Franck Haise, the current RC Lens manager who had been recently linked to the role, Collymore was less enthusiastic, “The best Premier League clubs turn to coaches who have already proven themselves in very large European clubs. But the fact that Liverpool are inquiring about him proves that he is doing a very good job at Lens.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland