• You may have to login or register before you can post and view our exclusive members only forums.
    To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Xabi Alonso

No doubt, but we're no second choice.
Jude and Caicedo say hi.

Rarely but sometimes 2nd best is the better option. As we found out with Endo and Szobo/Mac.

Like I say no need to have any bitterness about it, whether it's RDZ, Emery, Amourim, Moyes, Rodgers, Sam, Bill, Timmy Sherwood. We'll be fine.
 
Honestly, if we don't get Xabi, out of the rest, Emery is the one with the profile for me. He's succeeded without the resources of teams he's competed against, he's won trophies, and he's clearly a masterful coach. Yes Villa have fallen away, but that's not a deep squad there to say the least.
 
Jude and Caicedo say hi.

Rarely but sometimes 2nd best is the better option. As we found out with Endo and Szobo/Mac.

Like I say no need to have any bitterness about it, whether it's RDZ, Emery, Amourim, Moyes, Rodgers, Sam, Bill, Timmy Sherwood. We'll be fine.
They can go fuck themselves. Just like Lee Bowyer, but its players though.
I want the best manager available for the job.
 
They can go fuck themselves. Just like Lee Bowyer, but its players though.
I want the best manager available for the job.
Is Xabi the best? Or is he the flavour of the season with a prior connection? Surely the best prove themselves by winning trophies?
 
Is Xabi the best? Or is he the flavour of the season with a prior connection? Surely the best prove themselves by winning trophies?
Probably the best available...
Sure he hasn't won anything yet, but I doubt that other available manager would be able to pull off what he's done so far. Unbeaten in the league still.
 
Sentiments aside, going to Bayern for 2 seasons (sweeping as many silverware along the way as possible) before heading to RM to replace Ancelotti and manage the squad they have, would be worth considering

Think he'll stay at Leverkusen and take over Ancelotti in 2026. That's the high risk/high reward play
 

View: https://twitter.com/LFCTransferRoom/status/1760782723122073935

To be honest, I don’t think anything has been agreed between LFC and Xabi at this point - it would be too hasty for both parties to make those decisions mid-season. What if we had struck an agreement and then Alonso’s Bayer got trounced 5:0 by Bayern and collapsed for the rest of the season - would we still have him ahead of De Zerbi and Emery then?

And for Xabi, surely deciding his future closer to the end of the season when all potential options become available makes more sense - not to mention the huge distraction these discussions would have caused while they are chasing the title. Bayern clearly hope to get him, which means he hasn’t made the decision yet. There will be lots of conflicting reports, probably based on nothing - we’ll just need to keep a cool head through it all.
 
Last edited:
If he wins the league this season then immediately moving to Bayern would be a weird move. He may as well stay at Leverkusen.

If we are saying that he will be choosing Bayern or Liverpool, I think he'd choose Liverpool.

Bayern would pay him more than Leverkusen and Bayern would likely have a more realist long term future or crack at CL.

Leverkusen are going to have their best players prised away very quickly.

Liverpool is a tough one - following on from Klopp is not going to be easy for anyone.
 
Bayern would pay him more than Leverkusen and Bayern would likely have a more realist long term future or crack at CL.

Leverkusen are going to have their best players prised away very quickly.

Liverpool is a tough one - following on from Klopp is not going to be easy for anyone.
Top managers and players have a winning mentality (for some delusion) that they're better than everyone else. He probably thinks he could get our team playing better than Klopp. We don't want him if he's scared of managing after Klopp. We want him to be our new Paisley, taking over Shankly's team.
And as said, Bayern will be on their 8th manager in 8 years as of this summer. Xabi knows Liverpool FC and its supporters, and absolutely knows he'll get time should he not be incredibly successful from the start. At Bayern, he'll be sacked if he doesn't win the league, and managers there can get the sack if they underperform in Europe even if they win the league.
Liverpool is the best choice for him.
 

View: https://twitter.com/LFCTransferRoom/status/1760782723122073935

To be honest, I don’t think anything has been agreed between LFC and Xabi at this point - it would be too hasty for both parties to make those decisions mid-season. What if we had struck an agreement and then Alonso’s Bayer got trounced 5:0 by Bayern and collapsed for the rest of the season - would we still have him ahead of De Zerbi and Emery then?

And for Xabi, surely deciding his future closer to the end of the season when all potential options become available makes more sense - not to mention the huge distraction these discussions would have caused while they are chasing the title. Bayern clearly hope to get him, which means he hasn’t made the decision yet. There will be lots of conflicting reports, probably based on nothing - we’ll just need to keep a cool head through it all.


I'd have him ahead of Emery and De Zerbi even if the wheels fall off in the run in. I think contact has been made and he has let us know he is interested (via agents).
 

TLDR .. but skipped to the end and it seems computer says no thanks to Xabi and instead urges us to get Amorim

You've omitted the real juice in this piece that is Big Ange scoring higher overall than Alonso!
 
Bayern would pay him more than Leverkusen and Bayern would likely have a more realist long term future or crack at CL.

Leverkusen are going to have their best players prised away very quickly.

Liverpool is a tough one - following on from Klopp is not going to be easy for anyone.

Long term? He'll be their 8th manager since 2016. There is nothing long term about becoming the manager of Bayern Munchen. Lets be honest. Its an awful career move at this point for him, and I dont think he wants to go there.
 
Is it easier to enhance his career with us, or with Bayern. It's the risk/reward thing init. Yes, you're infinitely more likely to win leagues with Bayern, but if you don't then you'll get slaughtered.
With us, it's harder to win the league, but it's not an expectation for you to dominate, so there's inherently more slack to start with, and if you did win the league you'll be fucking lauded as a genius.

Both teams have a decent expectation to win the CL.

So it all comes down to what xabi needs to cultivate a winning environment.
 
Long term a move to Liverpool makes much more sense. He wont get fired even if he finishes outside the top 4 in his first season. Which might be a possibility that actually happens as well.
 
Long term a move to Liverpool makes much more sense. He wont get fired even if he finishes outside the top 4 in his first season. Which might be a possibility that actually happens as well.
What, you think we’re getting hit with a 20 point deduction next season? That’d be outrageous!
 
What, you think we’re getting hit with a 20 point deduction next season? That’d be outrageous!

Haha, no. But a switch to a new tactic and the first year after Klopp. Anything can happen. I think Xabi will hit the ground running though. My point was that FSG aren't like Bayern.
 
There is another factor, irrespective of what the chances are of winning these trophies are, and that's 'what are they worth'?

BL vs PL : if you are managing Bayern I doubt anyone gives a toss about the BL, you're expected to win it and if you don't you're a loser (and will be fired). However even for City the PL is far from a given and it's almost universally recognised as the toughest league to win, and therefore comes with far more kudos.

Pokal vs FAC : In this day and age neither are worth much but the FAC is still broadcast worldwide and has more charisma.

Added to which Alonso will have likely won both the BL (1/6 on) and the Pokal (overwhelming favourites) by the end of this season.
 
From the BBC

Next Liverpool manager: Who is best suited to succeed Klopp? The computer says...​

Last updated on2 hours ago2 hours ago.From the sectionLiverpool

Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool will have a new manager at the helm this summer for the first time since October 2015, after Jurgen Klopp revealed he would be stepping down at the end of the season.
And, as the popular Reds boss bids to win the club's first trophy of the campaign in Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, the speculation continues about who could possibly be his successor.
Klopp has won all the major trophies in his Anfield tenure and Liverpool are top of the Premier League and still in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Carteret Analytics - which provides detailed manager assessments to Premier League, EFL, Bundesliga and MLS clubs - has assessed a series of possible candidates, as well as Klopp, to see who would do the best job.
The company says: "Not only has Klopp achieved significant success over the past six seasons in terms of results, his individual metrics demonstrate an exceptionally high level of 'football intelligence'.
"For example, his strategic intelligence rating is very high. His tactical command rating is even better."
If you are wondering what strategic intelligence and tactical command are, read on. For in working out the person to replace Klopp, it's all about the metrics.
Former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso, also a favourite to replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich, has dominated much of the discussion after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga, but is he really the man to start a new Anfield era?
We list the candidates in order of their suitability according to Carteret's analysis, based on a number of key metrics to give an objective sense of the strengths and weaknesses for each head coach.
(The findings are based on actual results that have been achieved over the past six seasons, incrementally weighted towards the most recent seasons, and relative to the strength of the league in which those results have been achieved.)
Ratings for each manager
ManagerObjective achievementStrategic intelligenceTactical commandAttacking coefficientSuccess-adjusted attacking coefficientShot conversionShot creationOverall possession home/ awayOverall rating
Jurgen Klopp568.9075.936.3927.5920.9543.951.68 : 164 / 60151.0
Ruben Amorim486.9084.266.5825.1421.3140.092.64 : 160 / 61144.7
Julian Nagelsmann429.2098.043.7620.4918.9340.542.13 : 168 / 63128.0
Thomas Tuchel511.1074.193.6520.5215.1335.262.57 : 161 / 64119.5
Ange Postecoglou362.7072.225.1123.1817.1145.831.61 : 164 / 65116.5
Xabi Alonso257.6075.004.8922.6516.5937.861.60 : 159 / 57106.9
Roberto de Zerbi283.3050.002.3620.9810.4431.911.45 : 163 / 6271.3

How are the managers rated? The metrics defined​

Objective achievement rating: A measure of overall ability based on the premise that the primary objective is to win football matches - rather than, for example, long-term player development or balancing of club finances.
Overall rating (weighted metrics): An overall rating score, based on the actual achievements of the head coach over the past six seasons, but weighted according to their individual performance - so are they overachieving or underachieving in their job?
Strategic intelligence rating: The manager's ability to prepare and set his team, and analyse the opposition, to maximise the chances of winning the next match.
Tactical command rating: A measure of the manager's ability to transform a match (during the match), and, in particular, to develop a winning position for the team from various match scenarios.
Attacking coefficient/success-adjusted attacking coefficient: A measure of the manager's propensity to play an attacking style of football - and the relative impact of the manager's attacking coefficient on the success of the team. Does the style bring wins?
Team shot conversion rating/opposition shot conversion rating: A key metric that highlights a team's ability to increase the probability of winning matches. Are they taking the chances they create?
Shot creation ratio: How many chances a manager's team creates.
Possession: How much of the ball a team has.
Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim
Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim has won the Primeira Liga title in 2021 as well as two Taca da Liga trophies with the club

Ruben Amorim (Sporting Lisbon) - even better than the real thing?​

Portuguese manager Amorim, 39, has emerged as Carteret's surprise ideal candidate to take over at Anfield.
His stock has risen after guiding Sporting to their first top-flight title in 19 years in 2021 and Carteret says all the analytics point to him "becoming a very compelling option as the next Liverpool manager".
Those findings make allowances for the fact Amorim's experience is in a less competitive league, but say his strategic intelligence rating, his tactical command rating, success-adjusted attacking coefficient and shot creation ratio are all even higher than Klopp's, with an equivalent shot conversion rating and overall levels of possession.

Julian Nagelsmann (Germany interim manager) - hype, headaches and a patient 'genius'​

The former Bayern Munich boss, 36, took over as Germany manager last September but his contract only runs until July 2024 and he would be available after this summer's European Championship.
He previously shared the same agent as Klopp - Marc Kosicke - and was described by the current Liverpool manager as a "young horse" and a "big, big coaching talent", with Carteret giving him the highest strategic intelligence rating of anyone.
Its findings suggest the German has a defensive approach but one which he makes work for his teams, with a very methodical, patient and probing style of play.
Carteret does point out, though, that his interpersonal skills would need to be researched more fully and that his style of play could become a problem if not winning matches.

Thomas Tuchel (Bayern Munich boss) - defensive in every sense​

With the exception of Klopp, Carteret found Bayern boss Tuchel - who is leaving his post this summer - is "the best of this group of head coaches in demonstrating the ability to win matches at the requisite level" in recent years.
Tuchel rates well in setting up his teams to maximise the probability of winning the next match, but Carteret finds he begins to fall well short of Klopp in his ability to transform matches.
The former Chelsea boss, who led Bayern to the title last season, was also found to have "a very similar defensive style of play as Nagelsmann, and that could prove to be a challenge for Liverpool supporters and for maximising the attacking coefficients of the current Liverpool players".

Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham) - attack, attack, attack... or is it?​

Carteret found some strong similarities between Postecoglou, 58, and Klopp - with strategic intelligence, tactical command, and shot creation ratio broadly equivalent (although all lower than Klopp), as is overall possession.
It finds, though, the subjective perception that he has a very attacking style of play was not borne out by objective analysis. Postecoglou's attacking coefficient (23.18) - 16% lower than Klopp.
Carteret says this indicates a less progressive style of play - and adds that the defensive elements of that style were also less successful.
"When you consider some of the fundamental metrics that indicate, empirically, transferable success traits, he becomes a serious consideration as the next Liverpool manager. However, there are probably even better candidates," Carteret said.

Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen) - an excellent season but...​


The Football News Show: What are Xabi Alonso's ambitions after Bayer Leverkusen job?
The favourite. But the 42-year-old Spaniard has a completely different style of play to Klopp.
Not only does Alonso play predominantly with three at the back, he is a bit of a 'tinker man', having used six different formations this season alone. Klopp, by comparison, has essentially used slight variations on one formation - an attacking 4-3-3 - a set-up Alonso has only used three times this season.
Carteret also found the pace and attacking set-up of Alonso's teams do not attack or play with as much pace as Klopp's Liverpool. Nor is his style as successful as Klopp's.
Alonso is achieving great results - demonstrating football intelligence in both setting up his team (strategic intelligence) and adjusting his team within matches (tactical command).
Carteret says, though, that these ratings have only been achieved over a very short period of time - and are lower than those of other managers in this list.
"Empirical testing suggests that these football intelligence skills are transferable between clubs and leagues, but it is a risk for Liverpool to appoint a manager with such limited experience," Carteret said.
"When you then layer on a distinct difference in the style of play and approach to tinkering with formations, it becomes a significant risk to appoint Alonso."

Roberto de Zerbi (Brighton) - a passionate style?​

With the exception of his brief stint at Shakhtar Donetsk - when he won two-thirds of his matches and led them to the Ukrainian Super Cup - De Zerbi's teams have been firmly mid-table, Carteret says.
There is not a lot, therefore, in an assessment of his results that suggests he can win the Premier League with Liverpool.
Carteret also found none of his metrics are a match for Klopp. Indeed he is significantly lower across the board - strategic intelligence, tactical command, attacking coefficient and shot conversion.
They say: "De Zerbi has certainly created headlines in the UK (as have Brighton as a club generally), but a fully objective analysis of his performance levels (rather than a subjective view of his approach and personality) illustrates that he falls short significantly (in every key metric) from what is required for the next Liverpool manager."
 
Amorim seems to be our 2nd option if Xabi isnt possible or available. I'm fine with that. He's the next one on my list.
 
From the BBC

Next Liverpool manager: Who is best suited to succeed Klopp? The computer says...​

Last updated on2 hours ago2 hours ago.From the sectionLiverpool

Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool will have a new manager at the helm this summer for the first time since October 2015, after Jurgen Klopp revealed he would be stepping down at the end of the season.
And, as the popular Reds boss bids to win the club's first trophy of the campaign in Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, the speculation continues about who could possibly be his successor.
Klopp has won all the major trophies in his Anfield tenure and Liverpool are top of the Premier League and still in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Carteret Analytics - which provides detailed manager assessments to Premier League, EFL, Bundesliga and MLS clubs - has assessed a series of possible candidates, as well as Klopp, to see who would do the best job.
The company says: "Not only has Klopp achieved significant success over the past six seasons in terms of results, his individual metrics demonstrate an exceptionally high level of 'football intelligence'.
"For example, his strategic intelligence rating is very high. His tactical command rating is even better."
If you are wondering what strategic intelligence and tactical command are, read on. For in working out the person to replace Klopp, it's all about the metrics.
Former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso, also a favourite to replace Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich, has dominated much of the discussion after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga, but is he really the man to start a new Anfield era?
We list the candidates in order of their suitability according to Carteret's analysis, based on a number of key metrics to give an objective sense of the strengths and weaknesses for each head coach.
(The findings are based on actual results that have been achieved over the past six seasons, incrementally weighted towards the most recent seasons, and relative to the strength of the league in which those results have been achieved.)
Ratings for each manager
ManagerObjective achievementStrategic intelligenceTactical commandAttacking coefficientSuccess-adjusted attacking coefficientShot conversionShot creationOverall possession home/ awayOverall rating
Jurgen Klopp568.9075.936.3927.5920.9543.951.68 : 164 / 60151.0
Ruben Amorim486.9084.266.5825.1421.3140.092.64 : 160 / 61144.7
Julian Nagelsmann429.2098.043.7620.4918.9340.542.13 : 168 / 63128.0
Thomas Tuchel511.1074.193.6520.5215.1335.262.57 : 161 / 64119.5
Ange Postecoglou362.7072.225.1123.1817.1145.831.61 : 164 / 65116.5
Xabi Alonso257.6075.004.8922.6516.5937.861.60 : 159 / 57106.9
Roberto de Zerbi283.3050.002.3620.9810.4431.911.45 : 163 / 6271.3

How are the managers rated? The metrics defined​

Objective achievement rating: A measure of overall ability based on the premise that the primary objective is to win football matches - rather than, for example, long-term player development or balancing of club finances.
Overall rating (weighted metrics): An overall rating score, based on the actual achievements of the head coach over the past six seasons, but weighted according to their individual performance - so are they overachieving or underachieving in their job?
Strategic intelligence rating: The manager's ability to prepare and set his team, and analyse the opposition, to maximise the chances of winning the next match.
Tactical command rating: A measure of the manager's ability to transform a match (during the match), and, in particular, to develop a winning position for the team from various match scenarios.
Attacking coefficient/success-adjusted attacking coefficient: A measure of the manager's propensity to play an attacking style of football - and the relative impact of the manager's attacking coefficient on the success of the team. Does the style bring wins?
Team shot conversion rating/opposition shot conversion rating: A key metric that highlights a team's ability to increase the probability of winning matches. Are they taking the chances they create?
Shot creation ratio: How many chances a manager's team creates.
Possession: How much of the ball a team has.
Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim
Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim has won the Primeira Liga title in 2021 as well as two Taca da Liga trophies with the club

Ruben Amorim (Sporting Lisbon) - even better than the real thing?​

Portuguese manager Amorim, 39, has emerged as Carteret's surprise ideal candidate to take over at Anfield.
His stock has risen after guiding Sporting to their first top-flight title in 19 years in 2021 and Carteret says all the analytics point to him "becoming a very compelling option as the next Liverpool manager".
Those findings make allowances for the fact Amorim's experience is in a less competitive league, but say his strategic intelligence rating, his tactical command rating, success-adjusted attacking coefficient and shot creation ratio are all even higher than Klopp's, with an equivalent shot conversion rating and overall levels of possession.

Julian Nagelsmann (Germany interim manager) - hype, headaches and a patient 'genius'​

The former Bayern Munich boss, 36, took over as Germany manager last September but his contract only runs until July 2024 and he would be available after this summer's European Championship.
He previously shared the same agent as Klopp - Marc Kosicke - and was described by the current Liverpool manager as a "young horse" and a "big, big coaching talent", with Carteret giving him the highest strategic intelligence rating of anyone.
Its findings suggest the German has a defensive approach but one which he makes work for his teams, with a very methodical, patient and probing style of play.
Carteret does point out, though, that his interpersonal skills would need to be researched more fully and that his style of play could become a problem if not winning matches.

Thomas Tuchel (Bayern Munich boss) - defensive in every sense​

With the exception of Klopp, Carteret found Bayern boss Tuchel - who is leaving his post this summer - is "the best of this group of head coaches in demonstrating the ability to win matches at the requisite level" in recent years.
Tuchel rates well in setting up his teams to maximise the probability of winning the next match, but Carteret finds he begins to fall well short of Klopp in his ability to transform matches.
The former Chelsea boss, who led Bayern to the title last season, was also found to have "a very similar defensive style of play as Nagelsmann, and that could prove to be a challenge for Liverpool supporters and for maximising the attacking coefficients of the current Liverpool players".

Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham) - attack, attack, attack... or is it?​

Carteret found some strong similarities between Postecoglou, 58, and Klopp - with strategic intelligence, tactical command, and shot creation ratio broadly equivalent (although all lower than Klopp), as is overall possession.
It finds, though, the subjective perception that he has a very attacking style of play was not borne out by objective analysis. Postecoglou's attacking coefficient (23.18) - 16% lower than Klopp.
Carteret says this indicates a less progressive style of play - and adds that the defensive elements of that style were also less successful.
"When you consider some of the fundamental metrics that indicate, empirically, transferable success traits, he becomes a serious consideration as the next Liverpool manager. However, there are probably even better candidates," Carteret said.

Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen) - an excellent season but...​


The Football News Show: What are Xabi Alonso's ambitions after Bayer Leverkusen job?
The favourite. But the 42-year-old Spaniard has a completely different style of play to Klopp.
Not only does Alonso play predominantly with three at the back, he is a bit of a 'tinker man', having used six different formations this season alone. Klopp, by comparison, has essentially used slight variations on one formation - an attacking 4-3-3 - a set-up Alonso has only used three times this season.
Carteret also found the pace and attacking set-up of Alonso's teams do not attack or play with as much pace as Klopp's Liverpool. Nor is his style as successful as Klopp's.
Alonso is achieving great results - demonstrating football intelligence in both setting up his team (strategic intelligence) and adjusting his team within matches (tactical command).
Carteret says, though, that these ratings have only been achieved over a very short period of time - and are lower than those of other managers in this list.
"Empirical testing suggests that these football intelligence skills are transferable between clubs and leagues, but it is a risk for Liverpool to appoint a manager with such limited experience," Carteret said.
"When you then layer on a distinct difference in the style of play and approach to tinkering with formations, it becomes a significant risk to appoint Alonso."

Roberto de Zerbi (Brighton) - a passionate style?​

With the exception of his brief stint at Shakhtar Donetsk - when he won two-thirds of his matches and led them to the Ukrainian Super Cup - De Zerbi's teams have been firmly mid-table, Carteret says.
There is not a lot, therefore, in an assessment of his results that suggests he can win the Premier League with Liverpool.
Carteret also found none of his metrics are a match for Klopp. Indeed he is significantly lower across the board - strategic intelligence, tactical command, attacking coefficient and shot conversion.
They say: "De Zerbi has certainly created headlines in the UK (as have Brighton as a club generally), but a fully objective analysis of his performance levels (rather than a subjective view of his approach and personality) illustrates that he falls short significantly (in every key metric) from what is required for the next Liverpool manager."
Got to say some very weird conclusions / ratings there :

Ange better than Xabi for tactical decisions affecting a match? Ange's tactical nouse (not changing his tactics/formation in game - witness his multiple statements on not changing their tactics) is low low low. Ditto Strategic intelligence - how to set up your team (Xabi is unbeaten this season - contrast that)! And how can Tuchel strategically be higher than Xabi - did they not watch the Bayern vs Bayer matches?

I'd vote for Emery over Amorim if we don't get Xabi.
 
Long term? He'll be their 8th manager since 2016. There is nothing long term about becoming the manager of Bayern Munchen. Lets be honest. Its an awful career move at this point for him, and I dont think he wants to go there.

I think you’re overstating that a bit, while there’s clearly something not quite right at BM a fair few of that 8 were only temp managers. They do seem to loose a lot of Managers for, what I’d consider non-footballing reasons.

I don’t think it’s an “awful” career move - might not be the best, but let’s face it, there are worse places he could move to - Barca, Chelsea, Utd….

I don’t think it’s as easy or as clear cut a decision as many think - but it’s not like I have any more of an idea than you.
 
Back
Top Bottom