The predominant feeling for Liverpool fans upon hearing that Xabi Alonso will not be their next manager has been one of disappointment.
Reds supporters had hoped to see their former midfielder returning to the club 15 years after leaving for Real Madrid.
It had looked likely that Liverpool would engage in a fierce battle with Bayern Munich for Alonso’s services. In the end though, the Spaniard opted to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.
It was a big call from Alonso – a surprising one really – and means that the pressure may be on him a little more next season.
After what should be a Bundesliga title winning campaign, and maybe even more than that, expectations will be revised at the BayArena. And that could eventually lead to a change of heart from the World Cup winner.
What does the future hold for Xabi Alonso
Having turned his back on a potential job with Liverpool, some may be thinking that the door will be forever closed at Anfield for Alonso.
However, that seemingly will not be the case at all. The 42-year-old surely has a long career ahead of him in elite level management and it’s been claimed that it’s still in his ‘big vision’ to manage the Reds.
The Athletic also back that up with a report today. They suggest that Alonso ‘certainly’ would like to do what he never could as a player and win the Premier League as Liverpool manager.
It won’t be now, but ‘at some point’ in his coaching lifespan, the Leverkusen boss is claimed to envisage himself back at the club he spent five years at.
That Alonso turned the job down now is said to be due to a self-awareness of his limitations as a coach. A big thing for the Spanish manager is reportedly that he’s yet to take charge of a club in the Champions League.
That will change next season. Should Xabi do well with Leverkusen in Europe’s top competition, it’s claimed that he could then ‘change his position’ about leaving his first job in management.
When could Liverpool hire Alonso
Unless things go badly wrong with Liverpool’s next appointment, they won’t be in the running to hire Alonso next year.
The Reds clearly wanted to at least consider their former player for the job this time around. But they won’t do anything in the guise of hiring an interim or anything like that.
Whoever Liverpool decide to appoint to take over from Jurgen Klopp will have a long-term remit at Anfield. They won’t be planning for anything beyond what comes next.
As a result, it could now be some time before we see Alonso and Liverpool reconnect. If that does eventually happen though, it will be all the sweeter.