Jurgen Klopp has moved to back Xabi Alonso and his decision to reject the Liverpool job. The Spaniard had topped the Reds’ shortlist.
Xabi Alonso delivered heartbreak to Liverpool fans on Friday as news came out that he was staying at Bayer Leverkusen. The 42-year-old then confirmed his decision later in the day.
Alonso has been the favourite to take over at Liverpool ever since Jurgen Klopp announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season. Of course, he’s also been the favourite to take over at Bayern Munich, who will soon part ways with Thomas Tuchel.
But Alonso will join neither. He’s going to remain with Leverkusen for at least one more year and then assess his options in 2025.
The fact this news came out on a Friday did offer an interesting opportunity, though. It allowed journalists to ask Klopp for his reaction as the Liverpool boss did his pre-match press conference ahead of Brighton on Sunday.
JURGEN KLOPP ON XABI ALONSO
“I can talk about being a young manager being at a club and being successful,” said Klopp. “I did pretty much the same and never regretted it.
“Xabi is doing a great job there and it’s possible they can keep the team together. It’s not always like that. I understand he wants to do that.
“Leverkusen are really impressive, it’s not like he has built from other years. He has created a mentality that is on the pitch and is really special.”
Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising to see Klopp actually backing Alonso’s decision to say no to Liverpool. After all, he has been in the same position.
Klopp was the most in-demand manager on the planet at one point but he stuck with Borussia Dortmund for as long as he felt he could. And that, after all, was the last non-Bayern team to win the Bundesliga.
Alonso is following in Klopp’s footsteps, somewhat. The only real difference here is that Alonso almost certainly will move to one of the world’s top clubs in a year’s time.
Maybe that’s Bayern, maybe that’s Real Madrid – maybe it’s still Liverpool. Klopp always passed up that opportunity, instead deciding to raise a sleeping giant with the Reds in 2015.
For now, Alonso is sticking to the same course. Perhaps that’s what he does wish to do with his career, though reports suggest he will ultimately join one of his former clubs as manager.
