Xabi Alonso’s move to Chelsea has caused plenty of debate in the footballing world, and both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have now given their take on the Spaniard’s move to West London.
Ever since Liam Rosenior’s sacking, Alonso was one of the favourites to take over at Stamford Bridge. Then, immediately after the FA Cup final defeat to Man City, reports suggested Alonso had agreed to join.
Xabi Alonso’s first words as Chelsea manager!
What are you expecting from Alonso’s first season in charge?
On Sunday morning, Chelsea confirmed Alonso had been appointed as manager on a four-year deal. He is the first of BlueCo’s five permanent appointments to be given the title ‘manager’, and not ‘head coach’.
There were murmurs that Alonso wanted the Liverpool job, but Liverpool have decided to stick with Arne Slot. It might have convinced Alonso to join, and now, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have had their say.
Gary Lineker admits surprise at Xabi Alonso taking Chelsea job
It was only last week that Joe Cole predicted Alonso would take the Liverpool job, with the mere presence of Alonso being available touted to convince the Reds. But Alonso will now take charge come July 1.
Coach Xabi Alonso of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrates
Photo by Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker explained how Alonso’s move to Chelsea has left him surprised but praised BlueCo and Chelsea’s hierarchy for managing to pull off such a coup in hiring the Spaniard.
“Big news for Chelsea fans is that Xabi Alonso is going to be the manager for next season. I was surprised at that. I don’t think it’s a gamble for Chelsea; I think it’s a really good appointment for them.
“But I was a little surprised; I think most of us thought he’d go to Liverpool. It is a club run differently, and it’s whether he can make that work, whether he can have more say than previous coaches,” Lineker said.
Alan Shearer is bang on in his analysis of Alonso’s Chelsea move
Responding to Lineker’s comments regarding Alonso, Shearer said that Alonso being announced as Chelsea manager is crucial. The Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer thinks Alonso will get a say.
He thinks that a move to Chelsea hinged on the Spaniard being allowed to run things in his way. He said: “The big difference, and it’s a really noticeable difference, is that he’s been named Chelsea manager.
It’s going to be a big summer for Xabi Alonso and Chelsea!
Xabi Alonso graphic
Photo by Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“He’s never going to be in a stronger position than he is at the minute, when they desperately need him in terms of getting everything right in his contract. I guess he’s going to have a lot more say,” he added.
“Who comes in, who goes out. I don’t think he would have taken it if that wasn’t the case. Under the current way it’s run, it would’ve been a massive gamble, one he would not have been prepared to take.
“He’ll have everything in black and white; he’s gonna have a major say and rightly so. Up until now, it’s a bonkers Football Club. It hasn’t worked, and he can see that; it was important to get that ironed out.”
Alonso’s first game as Chelsea manager will take place in Australia, when the Blues begin their pre-season tour against Western Sydney Wanderers on July 28. They then face Tottenham in Australia on August 1.
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