Perhaps it was always too perfect: not just the idea of Jurgen Klopp being handed over to a respected former player, the man who scored the equalizing goal in Istanbul, but also the idea of passing the baton after the Europa League final in Dublin.
When Bayer Leverkusen came from behind to keep that story alive with two injury-time goals against Qarabag, the Klopp-esque nature of the comeback felt extremely appropriate. But Xabi Alonso announced on Friday that he will stay at Leverkusen for at least one more season and compete in the Champions League with the team that is certain to clinch their first Bundesliga title, meaning Liverpool should think again.
Relating to: ‘Room for me’: Xabi Alonso confirms he will stay at Bayer Leverkusen
There was always going to be turbulence at Anfield after Klopp’s departure this summer, with former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards returning as Fenway Sports Group’s new CEO and Richard Hughes appointed as sporting director, but Alonso is a familiar figure. face, who knows? The club would represent at least some sense of continuity. His ideas on how the game should be played are so similar to Klopp’s that the outgoing manager referred to him as the “coaching family”.
But Alonso has been extremely patient in his coaching development. After a year with Real Madrid’s under-14 teams, he moved to one of his former clubs, Real Sociedad, where he coached the B team for just over three years before being appointed to Leverkusen in October 2022. He turned down Tottenham’s interest in staying at the club following the issue, and given Leverkusen are currently 10 points clear in the Bundesliga, his reward is likely to be the league title. Given his career so far, it makes perfect sense that he would want to lead a team of his own creation in his first Champions League season, rather than take the leap at Liverpool or Bayern with a giant he hasn’t had time to shape. Munich.
In an industry dominated by short-termism, where it often seems like a hopeless struggle to reach the top, there is something commendable about this; There are certainly other former internationals of his generation who could benefit from gaining more experience as they move on to senior jobs. But that doesn’t make Liverpool’s position any easier. And what complicates this is how many big clubs will be looking for a new manager this summer.
Barcelona, Bayern and Napoli will definitely happen. Manchester United probably will. It is not impossible to have Chelsea, Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. Many national teams, including England, may also be after the Euros. It’s hard to remember such a period of change, and it comes just as one generation of coaches is subservient to another. There is a great opportunity for one of the younger generations to take a big step in their career.
For over a decade, football has been waiting for one of the many talented Portuguese managers to emerge from the group. Leonardo Jardim, Vítor Pereira, Rui Vitória, Marco Silva and Paulo Fonseca had been promising on the outskirts of the elite for years, although they did not quite get the superclub job; Rúben Amorim may be the person to make this breakthrough.
It’s partly a matter of timing, but his record at Sporting is at least very good domestically: he ended a 19-year wait for the Portuguese title in his first season, and they won it last season even though they dropped to fourth place. They won the cup for the second time in a row and are at the top again this year. Sporting’s European form has been less than convincing, despite falling four points behind Tottenham in the Champions League last season. The biggest problem, apart from the seemingly almost inevitable lack of experience, is that Amorim has always favored a back three in his career so far, both at Braga and Sporting. It’s not insurmountable, but this isn’t what Liverpool are built for.
Roberto De Zerbi, who faces Liverpool at Brighton on Sunday, is perhaps not as favored now as he was when the sides showed a clear mutual respect for Klopp in the pressure, press provocation and counter-pressure they faced in the 2-2 draw in October. Injuries and the demands of Europe have clearly been problems but Brighton remain eighth. Although he has calmed down after receiving two red and four yellow cards last season, if there is any doubt it is about his volatile nature.
If neither of them – and Amorim also looks like Barcelona’s target – then who? Could Pep Lijnders resign as assistant? One of the other Portuguese coaches? What will happen if Julian Nagelsmann does not stay in Germany? Thomas Tuchel? Julen Lopetegui?
The problem is, no matter who comes in, no one will feel as natural a fit as Alonso.