Xabi Xabi la vie

[dee]

Why is it always binary for you @Dreambeliever?

Xabi has done a pretty decent job ar Real Madrid and it is not in any way a failure. He accomplished the near impossible in Germany with Leverkusen, come on a domestic double, Europa League finalists and then winning the German super cup. The second season was not as successful it's true but fuck me it'd be hard to get close to the first!!! They were clear runners up by a lot of points and made it to the Cup semis.

Is Enrique a better bet for anyone on the market currently? Yes, of course but to dismiss Xabi is just nonsense regardless of his history with us. There will be a whole slew of top teams interested in him. Proven record as a coach, a polyglot and very personable face for a team.

 

[dee]

Don’t be making out he did anything amazing to do it. If he is so amazing why are we so shit right now?

He definitely did do something though. Not all good or bad. He slowed our pace down which seems to have resulted in fewer injuries and he got a tune out of Gravenberch which Klopp couldn't seem to manage.

However 2025 was a shitfest. We held on to win the league which was amazing but the s-l-o-w-n-e-s-s of our play is coma inducingly dull and the lack of press has contributed to us being leaky as fuck

 

[Momo]

He still didn’t do anything amazing. He’s been more shit than foot even though he won the league with us.

 

[Markeh]

it’s going to be fun when guardiola calls it quits and city line up with a coaching staff of xabi, lijnders and kolo next season

 

[Dreambeliever]

Yes, poor old Enrique. Spending 800 mill euros since when he was appointed in 2023 is like working with nothing.

They had never won the CL and lost their star player. Nobody expected them to win it.

 

[Hansern]

They had never won the CL and lost their star player. Nobody expected them to win it.

Great achievement but thats not what you said given no resources. That was the issue.
Its actually a decent debate in regards to who would be the better fit, Alonso or Enrqiue. Enrique would be the safest bet.
But it doesnt sound like there was anything in the exit rumors, sadly.

 

[Dreambeliever]

\


He set that Real team up mainly playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. And got those results.

Results that weren’t good enough for Real. He only set them up that way because of player power.

 

[Dreambeliever]

A tournament they didn’t even want to enter! Maybe we should be after Maresca seeing as he won the thing and, oh, lost his job for doing crap.

Our second title in 6 years. Don’t be one of those mongy fans of other clubs. Winning 20 was a perfect storm for Slot. Don’t be making out he did anything amazing to do it. If he is so amazing why are we so shit right now?

Yes and some 30 years before that so my point still stands. Perfect storm me hole. We are ‘shit’ right now for a host of reasons. Primarily because the players we brought in to replace the ones we lost have been shit or taken far too long to adapt (surprise surprise who said that was a risk almost certainly going to come to pass) bar Hugo.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Why is it always binary for you @Dreambeliever?

Xabi has done a pretty decent job ar Real Madrid and it is not in any way a failure. He accomplished the near impossible in Germany with Leverkusen, come on a domestic double, Europa League finalists and then winning the German super cup. The second season was not as successful it's true but fuck me it'd be hard to get close to the first!!! They were clear runners up by a lot of points and made it to the Cup semis.

Is Enrique a better bet for anyone on the market currently? Yes, of course but to dismiss Xabi is just nonsense regardless of his history with us. There will be a whole slew of top teams interested in him. Proven record as a coach, a polyglot and very personable face for a team.

Success at the team like Real is binary and inherently linked to performance relative to Barcelona and trophies.

I like Alonso but the question was whether he was a failure at Real. He absolutely fucking was. Is it harsh. Absolutely. Did every man and his dog think it would be mostly end this way? Yes. It’s not rocket science.

Do I want him here? Not yet.

 

[Hansern]

Results that weren’t good enough for Real. He only set them up that way because of player power.

Not really;

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has made a decision about the formation he wants to implement at the Santiago Bernabeu, opting for a 4-3-3 system according to MARCA. Alonso was known for his 5-3-2 formation with Bayer Leverkusen, but the Spanish coach has realized that the current roster isn’t built for that kind of system, per that same report.
With Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio as the only first-team players available to play in the center-back spot, Alonso has ultimately decided that a 4-3-3 suits his current squad much better.

 

[Momo]

So it’s nothing to do with tactics and fitness?

 

[Dreambeliever]

Great achievement but thats not what you said given no resources. That was the issue.
Its actually a decent debate in regards to who would be the better fit, Alonso or Enrqiue. Enrique would be the safest bet.
But it doesnt sound like there was anything in the exit rumors, sadly.

No I said not the best resources which clearly Real have and then arguably City.

I would love Luis but I do fear he’s City bound.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Not really;

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has made a decision about the formation he wants to implement at the Santiago Bernabeu, opting for a 4-3-3 system according to MARCA. Alonso was known for his 5-3-2 formation with Bayer Leverkusen, but the Spanish coach has realized that the current roster isn’t built for that kind of system, per that same report.
With Dean Huijsen and Raul Asencio as the only first-team players available to play in the center-back spot, Alonso has ultimately decided that a 4-3-3 suits his current squad much better.

According to Marca!!!

 

[Momo]

Am I getting this right? Dreamy doesn’t want Alonso because the Real players are a gang of entitled cunts and wouldn’t put the effort in and results suffered because of it?

 

[Dreambeliever]

So it’s nothing to do with tactics and fitness?

Tactical changes to accomodate the newbies derailed us for sure and those players didn’t compensate the nullifying of Salah, loss of Diaz, Jota, Trent and dare I say it Nunez!

 

[Dreambeliever]

Am I getting this right? Dreamy doesn’t want Alonso because the Real players are a gang of entitled cunts and wouldn’t put the effort in and results suffered because of it?

I’m saying I don’t think he’s proven enough in the last 2 years that he can sustain the incredible success he had 3 years agoZ

 

[Hansern]

According to Marca!!!

Which is basically The Real Madrid Gazette. Just Google and read.

 

[tombrown]

I gather you don't read much besides the Melbourne Gazette then.

In fairness, he has a UHD version of the Melbourne Gazette while you probably read it through a stuttering illegal stream

 

[rubans]

Am I getting this right? Dreamy doesn’t want Alonso because the Real players are a gang of entitled cunts and wouldn’t put the effort in and results suffered because of it?

Why go there then? what was he expecting that they would suddenly ditch their fast cars and behave because a bloke who managed one good season at Bayer has turned up after legendry Ancelotti? Part of being great manager is being able to fit into a club and ethos and enhance it like Klopp did. I think it's a fair point, he wanted the challenge but both parties have now decided to call it quit after 6 months. Now it would be good to see what he can do at his next place, that will be the proof of his skills.

 

[Momo]

Alonso isn’t just some bloke turning up though is he? He won just as much as they have done wearing that shirt. He broke all the odds at Bayer. He also got them off to a record breaking start so there was something. He went there because he has that history with Madrid and then found out what whoppers he had to deal with. He was also offered a shit load of money.

 

[rubans]

Not knocking his love for money (including from his attention to detail on higher earning tax rates or subsequent tax evasion case which he was cleared of 🙂 ) but bloke knew exactly what Madrid was about before he went in and exited with in 6 months. Not sure he will enjoy working with our data nerds

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Didn't he say he wanted to be a coach and not a manager, which would mean he wants to work with what we have set up?

 

[rubans]

Slot said that too right? and got himself a special title even for it but now apparently fallen out. Klopp was previously used to same setup but seems the new proposed setup didn't go down well with him either.

 

[tombrown]

Not knocking his love for money (including from his attention to detail on higher earning tax rates or subsequent tax evasion case which he was cleared of 🙂 ) but bloke knew exactly what Madrid was about before he went in and exited with in 6 months. Not sure he will enjoy working with our data nerds

Don't forget his failure to give tips

In fact he is a tight tory cunt. do not want

 

[rubans]

Don't forget his failure to give tips

In fact he is a tight tory cunt. do not want

Is that true? he should manage Leicester or Chelsea then.

 

[Hansern]

Perez have given the fitness coach Pintus a more prominent role after Xabi left. Read that Xabi didn’t want him to be included on his staff.

Pintus is known from the doping scandal at Juve in the 90s and was on staff for 5 CLs at Real. I’m sure his methods are based on only hard work…

 

[tombrown]

Was someone on here, I think, who was working in a Lark Lane restaurant when Xabi was at the club ... he had a meal and didn't leave a tip

Of course I may be confused or making that up ...

 

[Tinto]

Slot said that too right? and got himself a special title even for it but now apparently fallen out. Klopp was previously used to same setup but seems the new proposed setup didn't go down well with him either.

Nope, Klopp was the manager and had final say. Too right as well as he was the expert in the room.

The spreadsheet lads thought they were the experts in the room and left

 

[Fabio]

Was someone on here, I think, who was working in a Lark Lane restaurant when Xabi was at the club ... he had a meal and didn't leave a tip

Of course I may be confused or making that up ...

Our piedro, restaurant on woolton road

 

[rubans]

Nope, Klopp was the manager and had final say. Too right as well as he was the expert in the room.

The spreadsheet lads thought they were the experts in the room and left

Nah, he had a final say prior to Edwards leaving but it wasn't going to be same when he returned which is current setup. Klopp was used to working with similar setup as a manager with technical director with Manager autonomy. Slot then was hired as head coach under Part time Consultant Edwards and Hughes. I know Xabi wants to focus on coaching but I don't think he has specified he wants same setup as Slot which was again different to Klopp but both seemingly had issues