Xabi Alonso: Europe's next 'super coach'
The Athletic FC Podcast
The Athletic
4.0 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 14 November 2023
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Having taken Bayer Leverkusen from the relegation zone to the top of the Bundesliga within 13 months of taking charge, Xabi Alonso has made a meteoric start to his managerial career.
After playing under some of the biggest names in coaching during his playing career, including the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez, Alonso has already begun to forge an impressive reputation for himself.
The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein and Thom Harris join Ayo Akinwolere to analyse Alonso's start in coaching at Leverkusen, which influences have shown within his side as well as assessing what could come next for the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder.
Produced by Guy Clarke
Additional Production by Mike Stavrou
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Athletic |
| 0:02.0 | Jabbiolanda's Bay-Levacuzin have equaled the record for the best start to a Bundesliga season, naturally set by Pep Guadiola at Bayern Munich. |
| 0:16.0 | Tala in position! Oh, what a finish! It gets better and better for Bayo-Lavacuzin. |
| 0:22.9 | As a player, he matched his style with substance at the world's biggest clubs. |
| 0:27.0 | Alonzo with the efforts! What a goal! Jabby Alonzo with the moments of pure magic! |
| 0:35.7 | So will he reach similar height as a coach? |
| 0:38.1 | And where is he likely to end up next? |
| 0:41.4 | I'm Ayurki-Wilere. |
| 0:42.6 | Welcome to the Athletic Football Podcast. |
| 0:58.3 | We've got the Athletics German football writer, Rafael Hunigstein, and also the Athletics German football writer Rafael Honigstein and also the Athletics Data writer Tom Harris with us today to talk Jabby Alonzo. |
| 1:02.6 | Raffa, let's start with you, Mr Bundesliga, 13 months in charge at Leuhausen, from |
| 1:07.6 | relegation zone to top of the Bundesliga. |
| 1:10.5 | Really impressive start. |
| 1:11.8 | Very impressive. |
| 1:12.7 | I mean, I am convinced that maybe half, maybe a quarter of a coach's success is choosing the right team rather than the skill. |
| 1:22.3 | And that was a really wise choice because Leverkusen, yes, looked like they were heading for relegation, but really the team's quality was such that a bounceback was |
| 1:32.2 | probably inevitable with anyone coming in, let alone somebody who's so good at coaching |
| 1:37.5 | and at motivating players and at inspiring them. |
| 1:41.0 | I was lucky enough to see training last year. |
| 1:44.0 | He is on the pitch. He talks a lot. |
| 1:46.6 | He will play the opening ball out to show people where they need to run. His touch is still |
| 1:52.3 | better than anyone else's and he's one at all. So he's got a rare combination of real, |
... |
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