Jurgen Klopp believes Xabi Alonso is the “standout” member of the next generation of managers, as speculation mounts that the Bayer Leverkusen boss could succeed him in the Liverpool hot seat.
Alonso’s work at Leverkusen, who are five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and unbeaten in 31 games in all competitions this season, has made him one of the most sought-after managers in the game.
Reports in Germany have suggested that Bayern Munich, who are likely to part company with Thomas Tuchel in the summer, are interested in appointing Alonso, while the Spaniard has also been strongly linked with a return to Anfield, where he spent five years as a player.
And speaking on Friday, Klopp could hardly have been more forthcoming in his praise for the 42-year-old.
“Xabi is doing an incredible job,” he said. “[Even] if there would not be the rumours around, if you would have asked me eight weeks ago about Xabi Alonso, I would have gone ‘Oh my God’.
“The ‘dinosaurs’ if you want, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Jose] Mourinho, [Pep] Guardiola, maybe me, we will not do it for the next 20 years, [but] the next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is the standout in that department.
“The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it was absolutely exceptional.
The last manager to stop Bayern winning the Bundesliga title was Klopp, with Borussia Dortmund in 2011-12, but with Leverkusen currently strong favourites to end the Bavarians’ stranglehold, the Liverpool boss says he has been seriously impressed by the manner in which Alonso’s side has gone about its business this season.
“That is super impressive,” he said. “Not only the points tally but the way they play. Both games against Bayern, Leverkusen was clearly the better side and that is rare.
“To be honest when we beat Bayern at Dortmund, it was a bit of defending very well, counter-attack and taking the momentum. Especially at the beginning, it was defending better and trying to be brave at certain moments.
“But Leverkusen were better. That was probably the real surprise given the short time he was there, and it’s a young team. He has super signings for this team, exactly what they needed, and that’s really a very special job. Everybody would say exactly the same. In Germany, they talk like this: ‘Wow, that is really impressive!’
“Especially as they have a good chance to win the German Cup [and] obviously when you look through the Europa League, they are one of the favourites there as well so it could be the season for Leverkusen. Really crazy.”
Asked for one thing in particular that has impressed him about Alonso, Klopp said: “How quickly his team is so well-tuned. For the time it’s taken, he’s put his proper stamp on it.
“Nobody knows if that is always the way he wants to play or if it’s the way this team specifically plays – he is not long enough in the business to tell – but obviously the coaching part is exceptional.
That is clear.”
