There was a big twist in Liverpool’s new manager search last night as Xabi Alonso dropped out of the running.
Alonso had been many supporter’s ideal candidate to take over from Jurgen Klopp when he leaves at the end of the season. But as per multiple reports, the Spaniard has decided to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.
It isn’t as though Alonso was ever the only option, though. Liverpool have reportedly been heavily assessing both Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi for the job.
Julian Nagelsmann is another reported to have ‘scored highly’ in the Reds’ data-led approach to finding Klopp’s successor.
But according to former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, there’s yet another manager who should now be ‘in the conversation’ at Anfield.
Pennant makes Liverpool suggestion
There’s no denying that Alonso’s decision will come as a blow to Liverpool. They had clearly hoped to convince him to come back to the club after 15 years away.
Given how well his Leverkusen side are doing this season, the 42-year-old looks like an elite coach in the making. In many ways, the timing felt perfect. Alonso clearly didn’t see it that way, however.
Now though, Liverpool are going to have to park their dreams of seeing a former hero return. It’s not going to be him. And as the race for the Anfield hot seat opens up, Pennant has told TalkSPORT that his old club could do a lot worse than going for Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou.
“I’d like to see Postecoglou in the conversation,” says the pundit. “Where Spurs were to where they are now is night and day and that’s credit to him, he’s done a fantastic job. I think that if Liverpool came knocking on the door and said ‘Pos, here you go mate, get yourself in, Klopp’s going’ I think he’s jumping ships.
“The reason I’m saying that is because Liverpool will always be fighting for silverware, Champions League and the league,” he added. “They have won everything domestically in the last seven, eight years. If he’s at Spurs, they don’t win anything, they’ve not won anything for donkeys years.
“I think he’s doing a great job. If Liverpool knock on his door I think he’s jumping ships. Why would you not manage a better team and be guaranteed to be in the mix for silverware.”
Is Ange Postecoglou in the running for Liverpool
This isn’t the first time Postecoglou has been mentioned in regards to taking over from Klopp. Another former Red – Jason McAteer – put his name forward as a candidate back in January.
A boyhood Liverpool fan, the Tottenham manager certainly seems like a more attractive option now that Alonso is no longer in the running.
However, there seems little to no chance of Postecoglou being the man to follow Klopp. Contrary to Pennant’s claims, Spurs are reportedly ‘extremely confident’ that the 58-year-old would reject the Reds even if they did come calling for him.
With other names being reported with far more frequency, we’d be stunned to see Liverpool pick up the phone and dial North London at this point.