Xabi Alonso/Bayer Leverkusen

[Fetch Fletch]

Great player

 

[one footed wonder]

They’ll need to win the title this year as Bayern will just come in and take their best players in the summer

 

[JL1985]

Frimpong looks to have improved since his time at Arsenal

It's not him.

 

[chriswallace85]

Fabulous footballer like, so not really surprised he knas what he's doing in the dugout.

 

[red mackem]

Fabulous footballer like, so not really surprised he knas what he's doing in the dugout.

Yea doesn’t always correlate though. The type of player he was. That deep lying orchestrator/ quarter back type I’d argue would give you the best footballing education to go into management.

 

[WestSussexMackem]

Were they on for the league, Champions League and probably Deutsche Pokal in the early 2000s and failed to win any of them? I think Ballack was captain at the time.

Aye the 2001/02 season.

 

[Reptilia]

He's cool as fuck.

 

[Deleted member 55422]

Fabulous footballer like, so not really surprised he knas what he's doing in the dugout.

Up there with the great managers such as Gazza, Best, Pele and Maradonna like

 

[chriswallace85]

Up there with the great managers such as Gazza, Best, Pele and Maradonna like

A fair point well made, but Xabi was the ultimate team player. Nowt particularly flashy (exceptional technique and passing aside) but read the game like a book, and played with great vision. A tactically minded footballer. And that does translate over to coaching.

Yea doesn’t always correlate though. The type of player he was. That deep lying orchestrator/ quarter back type I’d argue would give you the best footballing education to go into management.

Well yeah exactly.

 

[Fetch Fletch]

A fair point well made, but Xabi was the ultimate team player. Nowt particularly flashy (exceptional technique and passing aside) but read the game like a book, and played with great vision. A tactically minded footballer. And that does translate over to coaching.

Well yeah exactly.

Just seen a lad on Instagram called chrissywallace21 post about Steven Taylor headbutting the post. Surreal. Knew it wasn’t you because he looks about 20

 

[chriswallace85]

Just seen a lad on Instagram called chrissywallace21 post about Steven Taylor headbutting the post. Surreal. Knew it wasn’t you because he looks about 20

Yeah, def not me.

 

[Dan The Man]

Were they on for the league, Champions League and probably Deutsche Pokal in the early 2000s and failed to win any of them? I think Ballack was captain at the time.

Finished runners up in all three

 

[BumbleBee]

And we didn't even interview him.

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[woodlebert]

Fabulous footballer like, so not really surprised he knas what he's doing in the dugout.

As was made down the thread the key is that his ability lay in his vision and understanding of the game. Unlike a dribble and pace merchant, no reason that would translate

 

[chriswallace85]

As was made down the thread the key is that his ability lay in his vision and understanding of the game. Unlike a dribble and pace merchant, no reason that would translate

Aye, see post #29.

I was taking it as a given we all knew what kind of footballer he was.

 

[Ciro_DiMarzio]

He's had a tremendous start to his senior managerial career. Hope they can keep it up just to break Bayern's dominance.

 

[FlyingLotus]

Probably been said on here before but him, Iraola, Emery, Lopetegui and Arteta are all from the same area of the Basque Country in Spain. Funny how they’re producing such top quality coaches

 

[englishman abroad]

Played alongside Gerrard for a few years at Liverpool
Alonso has the pick of any club in the world to manage
Gerrard couldn't get a gig outside the Northern League without Micheal Beale

 

[SAFC Wilks]

Ancelotti contract runs out end of season at Real.

Can see them going for Alonso.

 

[Hettonlass]

Bayern Munich open discussions with Alonso