Wondering how Liverpool fans are functioning day to day and whether they are snivelling into their hankies when not doodling pictures of Jürgen Klopp? I would argue that they are coping, and even enjoying, these final weeks of the German’s reign because a post-Klopp era does not feel so bleak when they picture Xabi Alonso as his successor.
Heck, even Klopp himself gushes about the Bayer Leverkusen manager as the “standout coach of the next generation”. Even before Alonso started attracting international attention for the way he is leading his club to an unlikely Bundesliga title, it felt entirely plausible that the 42-year-old could be the next Liverpool manager.
He was such a cerebral midfielder for the Merseyside club that you half expected him to pull out a pen and paper from his socks as he left the pitch at half-time to note down the goalkeeper’s positioning, the length of the grass, the angle of the sun and the height of the opposition central defenders. He scored one of my all-time favourite goals in 2006 when he took control of the ball, advanced and, while still in his own half, calmly and elegantly chipped the Newcastle United goalkeeper. Given he had done something very similar against Luton Town in Liverpool’s FA Cup run the year before it honestly felt as if the midfielder could score goals from 70 yards out whenever he chose and it was quite tricky, watching him, without holding terrifically high expectations.
I would hum the Alonso song around the house at Christmas time as it is an adaptation of Let it Snow: “When the weather outside is frightful, his passing is still delightful, everyone wants to know, Alonso, Alonso, Alonso.” Actually, I still do sing it, much to my children’s delight, because a sure-fire way to wind me up is to yell over the top of me and change the lyrics. I have had to ask a special favour. When he is Liverpool manager, I say, please will you not ruin the song? They have said they can’t promise anything. They are now in their 20s. Hmm.
But will he be the next Liverpool manager? He ended his playing career with Bayern Munich and they will also be without a head coach come the end of the present campaign having announced that Thomas Tuchel will not stay beyond the end of the season. Naturally, Bayern have set their sights on Alonso. It is a common motif for them to poach from their rivals in Germany, which lends the club an air of entitlement and also opens them to the charge that other teams do the hard work and they simply buy any player who particularly excels. There have been nine different managers of Bayern Munich in the eight years since Klopp took over at Liverpool, which speaks of a vastly different approach to the notion of a head coach being able to realise a long-term project.
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Oddly, that might not necessarily be unappealing. Joining a big club knowing their history of churn pretty much removes the pressure on Tuchel’s successor. Lasting under a year would be no great embarrassment and stepping into the former Chelsea manager’s shoes will not be onerous in the least. Taking over the minute Klopp leaves on a wave of enormous emotion and mutual respect is a far more daunting task.
And yet, while Alonso and his advisers would have preferred the vacancy on Merseyside to come a little deeper into his managerial career — he only took over at Leverkusen in October 2022 having previously coached Real Madrid Under-14 and Real Sociedad B — the timing also smacks of destiny.
“I am still a Liverpool fan and will be forever, absolutely,” Alonso told The Times in 2011 and he has spoken of how Anfield possesses a soul that expects and delivers “pure football”.
Klopp’s success is down, in part at least, to the way he fell in love with the city and they with him, and how he was capable, whether he liked it or not, of speaking for the community on all manner of issues. He had to start from scratch, but Alonso would have a head start given the relationship he already has with the club.
Most Liverpool fans are coping right now because they hope, or possibly assume, Alonso had agreed to replace Klopp before the German’s shock announcement that this is his final campaign. And Liverpool supporters are wise enough to know that the Spaniard will not operate just as Klopp has done. Alonso is much less extroverted, but this is no big deal. The loud and proud Bill Shankly left a void that was filled beautifully by the quiet, unassuming authority of Bob Paisley.
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Difference is just fine, it’s the connection that matters.
