Chelsea have announced Xabi Alonso as their next permanent manager within 24 hours of the FA Cup final defeat to Man City, and Steven Gerrard has shared what Alonso is like behind the scenes.
News of Alonso’s appointment emerged immediately after the 1-0 loss at Wembley, in which Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal of the game. It saw Steven Gerrard able to give his immediate verdict.
Xabi Alonso’s first words as Chelsea manager!
What are you expecting from Alonso’s first season in charge?
Of course, Gerrard played alongside Alonso at Liverpool during the Spaniard’s five-year stint in red. The Spanish gaffer clocked up north of 200 appearances for Liverpool and scored in the Istanbul comeback.
There were murmurs that Alonso was waiting for the Liverpool job with Arne Slot under pressure. Joe Cole thought Liverpool would appoint the Spaniard, but Chelsea have moved first and won his signature.
What Xabi Alonso is really like, according to Steven Gerrard
If anyone knows what Alonso is really like, it is Gerrard. Of course, had Gerrard joined Chelsea from the Reds in 2005, he would have only played with Alonso for a year. Instead, they were teammates for five.
Speaking on TNT Sports amid reports that Alonso was set to be announced as Chelsea manager, Anfield icon Gerrard gave his take on Alonso and told Chelsea supporters what they will get with the Spaniard.
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“He was a coach as a player by the way,” Gerrard said, before predicting Alonso would prove to be a success as Blues manager. “The way he thought about the game, the way he was involved in tactics.
“Even when we signed him, he was a coach in our team. Very clever, diligent, great guy, and the players will love him. He’s honest, he’s humble, if he can align everyone at Chelsea Football Club, it can work.”
The key takeaways from Alonso’s first words and appointment
For the first time since their takeover in 2022, BlueCo have appointed a ‘manager’ and not a ‘head coach‘. Liam Rosenior, Enzo Maresca, Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter all arrived at Chelsea as the latter.
DISCUSS: Xabi Alonso can finally make the BlueCo era a success 👀
Alonso has been given the title as manager and it is a clear indication that BlueCo are willing to give the incoming boss more power than his predecessors. But he will still have to work in line with the owners.
In his first words as Chelsea manager, Alonso shared details of the conversations he has had with Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali. He spoke of a “clear alignment” between both, representing hope for fans.
For now, Alonso’s brief will be from afar, watching on as Calum McFarlane looks to deliver European football at Stamford Bridge. But from July 1, Alonso will hope to be the start of a successful new era.
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