Xabi Alonso manager / head coach of Chelsea celebrates with Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill of Chelsea
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Xabi Alonso’s opening months in charge of Chelsea have seen plenty of ups and downs. The Blues are currently fifth in the Premier League after eight games, but they are out of the Carabao Cup.
Back-to-back league wins over Bournemouth and Everton suggested Alonso’s side had turned a corner, but recent defeats to Tottenham and Liverpool have put him under pressure. Saturday’s clash with Manchester United will provide a significant test for the Spaniard after a difficult week.
While supporters remain divided, the players appear to have bought into Alonso’s ideas. Levi Colwill is the latest to publicly praise the former Real Madrid star, offering an insight into why he is such an impressive figure at training.
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Levi Colwill believes Xabi Alonso could still be playing professional football
Levi Colwill has been amazed by the technical ability Alonso continues to show despite hanging up his boots almost a decade ago. The centre-back believes his manager could still compete on the pitch, having seen what he does during sessions at Cobham.
“The technique that he shows every day on the football pitch is insane. He could still be playing out there somewhere,” Colwill told Chelsea’s official site. “So when you’re doing sessions with him and he can make a pass that the majority of players out there can’t do, it really humbles you a bit.”
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That’s a great stat tbf. He did absolutely nothing in 60 mins at Anfield though so I’d be tempted to drop him
I was gonna say if you could pick any player from that Chelsea squad to play at that ground it’d be him
Welbeck has scored 9 goals against United since leaving Old Trafford in 2014.
Alonso’s reputation as one of the best midfielders of his generation makes that praise understandable. He made more than 700 professional appearances during a decorated career and became a legend at both Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Alonso won two Champions League titles, one with each club. However, his international career was even more impressive, as he helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
Now 44, Alonso understandably can no longer compete physically at the Premier League level, but his technical quality remains exceptional. It is therefore easy to believe he can still produce passes that would impress the Chelsea players.
Having a manager who can demonstrate such quality is not essential, but it must help Alonso earn the respect of his squad. Colwill is already part of Chelsea’s leadership group and has worn the captain’s armband this season, making his public backing particularly encouraging.
The 23-year-old also revealed that his first interaction with Alonso left him excited to work under the former Bayer Leverkusen boss.
“My first conversation with him was in pre-season. It was just a get-to-know-him conversation, to know a little about him,” he added. “Of course, he would’ve heard a little bit about me from the other coaches and players maybe.
“But it was a really chill conversation. It gave me a lot of confidence and I was really excited to get to work with him, and I have been really happy working with him.”