Xabi Alonso: Welcome back to Anfield.

[M_B]

54 minutes ago, Jennings said:

Too inexperienced.

He is, but Arteta and Zidane had not managed anyone else before Arsenal and Madrid, yet they were both given a chance. Maybe we should do the same, especially if there is no other obvious candidate. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

47 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

What he did as a player is honestly completely irrelevant other than it adds to his aura.

To be fair mate he has started off ok for a young manager, he clearly is a talented coach.

[El Rojo]

46 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

What he did as a player is honestly completely irrelevant other than it adds to his aura.

I think having played for three huge clubs and under several big name managers is an undoubtedly a big plus for someone who probably knew as a player that they themselves would manage later.

I think he’s the best choice out there at the moment, but we were in an even better position in being spoiled enough to get to choose between proven winners Klopp and Ancelotti in 2015. 
 

Still, Alonso (or whoever) inherits a much better group of players than Klopp did in 2015.

 

There’s a chance Alonso will have won a title by the time he might join, which with Leverkusen would be a bigger achievement than anything Klopp had done pre-us.

 

[3 Stacks]

4 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

To be fair mate he has started off ok for a young manager, he clearly is a talented coach.

Yeah, that's what I mean; that is the important thing, not his playing career.

 

It's the same sort of conversation as with pundits; we're led to believe what someone did as a player has a bearing on how good they are speaking on TV.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

3 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Yeah, that's what I mean; that is the important thing, not his playing career.

 

It's the same sort of conversation as with pundits; we're led to believe what someone did as a player has a bearing on how good they are speaking on TV.

I think there is a link especially if you are a technically exceptional footballer. I agree a huge amount of great ex-players have been rotten managers. Xabi may be another who can buck the trend.

[Code]

5 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

Yeah, that's what I mean; that is the important thing, not his playing career.

 

It's the same sort of conversation as with pundits; we're led to believe what someone did as a player has a bearing on how good they are speaking on TV.

I ask again, have you ever played a team sport?

 

Your lack of understanding of what you can learn and the experience you can get  shines through.

 

If you had played football at competitive level you would know very well that its not about how good a player you are or not if you can become a good coach or manager, but its about if you are the type of who could have a future in management or coaching, because you have an elite understand of the game. If you do, then the experience you bring with you from your playing days obviously will be of a huge advantage compared to someone without the same experience. 

 

From my own experience at a few levels below obviously I knew very well that some of the better players I played with would be terrible coaches, while some of the average ones I knew could have a future in management/coaching, and guess what, I was 100% right, because thats exactly what happened later on. 
 

In Alonso’s case he’s lived and breathed football at the highest level for 18 years, been learning and studying some of the best managers the last 30 years on a daily basis. While some of his team mates have showed up, did what they are told and just played the game without really giving it too much thought.
 

If you think that means nothing, well I think that speaks for itself. I dont need to tell you that I think its one of the most stupid things Ive heard in a long, long time. 
 

But if copy and paste is so easy for ex players, maybe you can try and find some similar qoutes from and about some of our other ex-players, maybe someone like J.Cole and J.Pennant?

 

They are both pundits. 

[Dr Nowt]

6 hours ago, Moo said:

If Alonso came and did well here I'd fully expect him to go to Madrid after 5-7 years.

Especially when he calculates the potential tax savings. Allegedly.

[TD_LFC]

Of all the players he's managed Mourinho had him pegged as a manager 4 years ago.

 

 

[Lee909]

Leverkusen kick off in 20 minutes. 

He's dealing with some big injuries and AFCON. That back 3 is non of his normal starters, also missing one of the two 6s in Palacios and his main striker Boniface till April. If he can pull off the title it'll be a miracle to be honest

 

 

Can watch it here

 

 

 

[TD_LFC]

1 minute ago, Lee909 said:

Leverkusen kick off in 20 minutes. 

He's dealing with some big injuries and AFCON. That back 3 is non of his normal starters, also missing one of the two 6s in Palacios and his main striker Boniface till April. If he can pull off the title it'll be a miracle to be honest

 

If he doesn't win 5-1 or better I'm pulling my support and endorsing De Zerbi.

[3 Stacks]

3 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

Of all the players he's managed Mourinho had him pegged as a manager 4 years ago.

 

 

I'm sure the boys at Comercio e Industria all said Mou Mou would be a top manager after they saw him play.

[TD_LFC]

9 minutes ago, 3 Stacks said:

I'm sure the boys at Comercio e Industria all said Mou Mou would be a top manager after they saw him play.

 

Plagiarising fucks over at Comercio e Industria, they were just copying what Sesimbra said about him first.

[Bjornebye]

4 hours ago, dave u said:

Not sure this has been mentioned as I haven't read the whole thread, but the 3-4-3 he's currently playing doesn't mean anything as manager's will often use a system suited to the players they have. The system Klopp plays now is not the one he played at Dortmund or even played here for much of his time.

 

I'd assume that Alonso is flexible enough to create a system based around the players he has. The basic principles will be there, but he won't be married to a specific formation. 

And he can bring himself on. 

[Lee909]

35 seconds and still 0-0

De Zerbi it is

[waddy78]

5 minutes in and im liking Alonso Ball, fast paced attacking (and with 8 changes due to afcon and injuries) I'm sold on it sign him up.

[Red Banjo]

50% possession at home after 10 minutes?

 

Fuck that. Get Roy in.

[TD_LFC]

1 minute ago, Red Banjo said:

50% possession at home after 10 minutes?

 

Fuck that. Get Roy in.

 

Just showed 77% possession and 93% pass completion on the graphic.

 

You sure you don't have a palace game on?

[Red Banjo]

2 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

Just showed 77% and 93% pass completion on the graphic.

 

You sure you don't have a palace game on?

 

Not watching mate. Flicked on one of those score apps and looked at the match stats. I'm a reactionary bastard you see.

 

Just been updated to 81% for Leverkusen. I'm back on board.

[TD_LFC]

1 minute ago, Red Banjo said:

 

Not watching mate. Flicked on one of those score apps and looked at the match stats. I'm a reactionary bastard you see.

 

Just been updated to 81% for Leverkusen. I'm back on board.

 

They've not scored despite that dominance though, wouldn't jump back on board yet, wasteful.

[Smell The Glove]

52 minutes ago, Code said:

I ask again, have you ever played a team sport?

 

Your lack of understanding of what you can learn and the experience you can get  shines through.

 

If you had played football at competitive level you would know very well that its not about how good a player you are or not if you can become a good coach or manager, but its about if you are the type of who could have a future in management or coaching, because you have an elite understand of the game. If you do, then the experience you bring with you from your playing days obviously will be of a huge advantage compared to someone without the same experience. 

 

From my own experience at a few levels below obviously I knew very well that some of the better players I played with would be terrible coaches, while some of the average ones I knew could have a future in management/coaching, and guess what, I was 100% right, because thats exactly what happened later on. 
 

In Alonso’s case he’s lived and breathed football at the highest level for 18 years, been learning and studying some of the best managers the last 30 years on a daily basis. While some of his team mates have showed up, did what they are told and just played the game without really giving it too much thought.
 

If you think that means nothing, well I think that speaks for itself. I dont need to tell you that I think its one of the most stupid things Ive heard in a long, long time. 
 

But if copy and paste is so easy for ex players, maybe you can try and find some similar qoutes from and about some of our other ex-players, maybe someone like J.Cole and J.Pennant?

 

They are both pundits. 

Hahaha

[Smell The Glove]

I'd be interested to see us under Alonso if he continued with 3 at the back

[lebron]

Very, very seldom that I disagree with you, @3 Stacks. I’m not completely sold on your stance here though (unless you’re trying to give some back to those opposing you). I have similar experiences to those of @Code. Some players (often central midfielders and sometimes centre backs) have a much more cerebral understanding of the way the game is played. I could pick out the few of my team-mates that have made it into coaching from playing and training with them from a pretty early stage.

 

The other point I think you are overlooking a bit is just how much a successful footballer@s aura means in those first few meetings and months. Most footballers are thick and sheep-like. They will 100 pct care if you’ve played the game at a high level or not. That’s not to say that you WILL succeed if you have, or that you can’t without (as you are alluding to with Mourinho). It’s just a much, much easier job to get the respect of the players (and supporters) if you have top-level playing experience. After a short while, communication and results becomes the most important thing though, which is the point I hope and think you’re trying to make.

 

Put it this way. Of Xabi and Stevie I had absolutely no doubt who was going to make the better manager, from watching them play and speak on football. Gerrard was all about the power and pace, lung-bursting runs and ferocious tackles. Yes, he had a wand of a foot and could play great through-balls and be in sync with our attackers, but he never really set the tempo or dictated the tempo of a match.  Xabi always relied on his positioning and understanding of the game (as well as being technically gifted). He could control the pace of games in a way Gerrard never could. I think that part of it is transferable to the coaching role.

 

Edit. Klopp has said he couldn’t coach in a country where he didn’t speak the language, as he wouldn’t be able to convey his ideas effectively. I think most fans and journalists underrate that aspect of the job.

 

 

Edited January 27 by lebron

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Just had 10 mins of Leverkusen on. 
 

They press like us, but seem a lot more possession based than Klopp’s tactics.

 

Impressed though, but I think we’d need a couple of technically gifted attacking players to make the system work, like prime Coutinho types. I like how he has the wing-backs/wide midfielders pushing right up and then cutting into the box to play like inside forwards.

[3 Stacks]

21 minutes ago, lebron said:

Very, very seldom that I disagree with you, @3 Stacks. I’m not completely sold on your stance here though (unless you’re trying to give some back to those opposing you). I have similar experiences to those of @Code. Some players (often central midfielders and sometimes centre backs) have a much more cerebral understanding of the way the game is played. I could pick out the few of my team-mates that have made it into coaching from playing and training with them from a pretty early stage.

 

The other point I think you are overlooking a bit is just how much a successful footballer@s aura means in those first few meetings and months. Most footballers are thick and sheep-like. They will 100 pct care if you’ve played the game at a high level or not. That’s not to say that you WILL succeed if you have, or that you can’t without (as you are alluding to with Mourinho). It’s just a much, much easier job to get the respect of the players (and supporters) if you have top-level playing experience. After a short while, communication and results becomes the most important thing though, which is the point I hope and think you’re trying to make.

 

Put it this way. Of Xabi and Stevie I had absolutely no doubt who was going to make the better manager, from watching them play and speak on football. Gerrard was all about the power and pace, lung-bursting runs and ferocious tackles. Yes, he had a wand of a foot and could play great through-balls and be in sync with our attackers, but he never really set the tempo or dictated the tempo of a match.  Xabi always relied on his positioning and understanding of the game (as well as being technically gifted). He could control the pace of games in a way Gerrard never could. I think that part of it is transferable to the coaching role.

 

Edit. Klopp has said he couldn’t coach in a country where he didn’t speak the language, as he wouldn’t be able to convey his ideas effectively. I think most fans and journalists underrate that aspect of the job.

 

 

I'm just against the idea that the playing career of someone means anything in terms of determining what makes a good manager.

 

We have seen they come from all levels, backgrounds, even from different careers than football. You can't favour or eliminate anyone.

 

Who he is and what he did in his career obviously has helped him, but that's at an individual level. A similar player with a similar career is not inherently a top manager. My point is really just that what he is doing at Leverkusen is the important thing here because it's concrete proof of his ability and possible suitability. It's not because he was a great or even a "cerebral" player or whatever.

[Smell The Glove]

13 minutes ago, Nelly-Szoboszlai said:

Just had 10 mins of Leverkusen on. 
 

They press like us, but seem a lot more possession based than Klopp’s tactics.

 

Impressed though, but I think we’d need a couple of technically gifted attacking players to make the system work, like prime Coutinho types. I like how he has the wing-backs/wide midfielders pushing right up and then cutting into the box to play like inside forwards.

The style is a massive change from Klopp. We'd be banking on Alonso being a genius to see immediate results after years of Klopp patterns