A penny for Steven Gerrard’s thoughts right now. The former Liverpool captain will have seen the news that Jürgen Klopp is stepping down as Reds manager at the end of this season and felt a flutter in the pit of his stomach: the position he’s always craved, at last, vacant.
Yet a post that once seemed destined to go to the former England captain is now odds-on to go to his former midfield partner at Anfield, Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard was still managing Real Sociedad’s B team when Gerrard was lifting the Scottish title with Rangers - seemingly lightyears behind his old friend in the running for one of Europe’s top jobs. But the tortoise appears to have caught the hare.
Alonso’s rise to the top of Liverpool’s shortlist mirrors that of Bayer Leverkusen’s climb to the summit of German football in that few would have expected it 18 months ago. In October 2022, he joined a club sitting 17th in the Bundesliga after eight matches, winless in four and leaking goals. “I don't look at the standings,” he stated, confidently, before setting about revamping the side.
A switch to a back three preceded a dramatic turnaround in Werkself’s fortunes, with the club eventually finishing sixth and qualifying for Europe. This season, following shrewd recruitment in the summer - including Granit Xhaka, Alex Grimaldo, Victor Boniface and Jonas Hofmann - he’s led the club to the top of Germany’s top-flight, still unbeaten after 18 games, into the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal and the last-16 of the Europa League.
Those results have been delivered thanks to a watertight defence and a possession-based attack. Leverkusen have conceded the fewest goals of any Bundesliga side this term, while only Bayern Munich have boasted more of the ball. Under the 42-year-old’s calm guidance, a club often-derided for their failure to win silverware have turned into a winning machine, playing attractive football and repeatedly rescuing points late in games.
During his glittering career, the former midfield metronome has been hailed as a product of his education, having played under all four of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti. Having watched Leverkusen many times this season, it’s clear there are elements of each of those four managers in their former charge: Guardiola’s passion for exploiting space and possession, Mourinho’s ability to keep clean sheets, Benitez’s understanding of how to change a game and Ancelotti’s avuncular affability.
For Liverpool fans concerned about the impending loss of Klopp - and there will be many - the thought of singing a new manager’s name next season will seem blasphemous. But ask anyone who’s witnessed the miracles Alonso has performed at the BayArena and they’ll tell you the next messiah might not be far away.
Alonso reportedly has a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave Leverkusen for any of the clubs he represented as a player. Fans are about to find out if those rumours are true. Even without it, Alonso can expect a phone call in the coming weeks.
Gerrard, who just signed fresh terms with Saudi Pro League strugglers Al-Ettifaq, may even have the same agreement with his wealthy overlords. But Liverpool would be foolish to look anywhere but Deutschland when making their next move.
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