Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has been a name on everyone’s lips this season.
After taking over at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022, Alonso has had a sensational first full campaign as a football managaer.
Having won the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, Leverkusen also won their first ever German Cup. Their only defeat of the whole season came in the Europa League final defeat to Atalanta.
With Jurgen Klopp heading for the Anfield exit, Alonso was inevitably installed as the front-runner to replace him. Although that ultimately did not happen, it put the 42-year-old’s Liverpool career back in the thoughts of supporters. My word, he was good.
Alonso’s best quality was undoubtedly his passing. Although speaking about his former teammate this week, Peter Crouch has claimed that Liverpool had an even better passer of the ball during Alonso’s time with the Reds.
Peter Crouch picks between Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso
It was not just at Liverpool that Alonso shone brightly. After leaving the Reds in 2009, Xabi went on to excel at Real Madrid and then Bayern Munich.
The classy midfielder also did brilliantly on the international stage, winning two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain.
READ MORE: Cesc Fabregas shares who he thinks was the better player – Steven Gerrard or Andres Iniesta
As a result, Alonso is recognised as one of the very best midfielders of his generation. And now a wonderful coach to boot.
But speaking to The Redmen TV, Crouch claims that Alonso could not hold a candle to the skill and vision of Steven Gerrard.
“Xabi Alonso was an amazing passer of the ball, right and left foot,” says the 43-year-old. “But I still think Stevie was better. Just because he could do everything.
“Stevie was the best passer of the ball I think I’ve ever seen,” Crouch adds. “Xabi was probably second to that but Stevie [was the best] by far. He’d put the ball on someone’s toe from anywhere.”
Gary Lineker echoes Steven Gerrard praise
We’re actually a little surprised to hear this one from Crouch. Although Gerrard was obviously a supreme passer of the ball, it was not necessarily the Liverpool legend’s best quality.
In terms of Alonso, it really was the thing that set him apart. Without it, he wouldn’t have been half the player he was.
It all just goes to show how brilliant Liverpool’s former captain really was. Gary Lineker recently suggested that Gerrard might just be the ‘most complete’ footballer of all time. That’s probably fair.
Nevertheless, if Stevie won out in the passing stakes, then Alonso clearly got the managerial talent.
The Leverkusen boss won’t be too downhearted at hearing Crouch’s admission. While Gerrard looks unlikely to build on the legacy of his playing career, Alonso is pulling up trees in his second life as a coach.
Let’s hope we see him back at Anfield one day.