Jurgen Klopp shared his thoughts on Xabi Alonso as the next potential Liverpool manager, saying that he has been exceptional at Bayer Leverkusen.
“Xabi is doing an incredible job,” Klopp said. “If there would not be the rumours around, that’s completely independent. If you would have asked me eight weeks ago about Xabi Alonso I would have gone: ‘Oh my God.’
"The dinosaurs if you want – Ancelotti, Mourinho, Guardiola, maybe me – we will not do it for the next 20 years. OK, maybe Mourinho will. The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is standout in that department.
“Former world-class player, from a coaching family as well which helps a little, he was like a coach already when he was playing.
"The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it is absolutely exceptional. I played a long time in the Bundesliga and it is super impressive.
"Not only the points tally but the way they play. Leverkusen was clearly the better side in the first game against Bayern and that is rare. To be honest when we beat Bayern at Dortmund it was a bit of very well defended, counterattack and taking the momentum.
"Especially at the beginning. But Leverkusen were better. That was probably the real surprise given the short time he was there and it’s a young team. He has super signings for this team, exactly what they needed, and that’s really a very special job.
“Leverkusen has a very good chance to win the cup. When you look through the Europa League, Leverkusen is one of the favourites there as well so it could be the season for Leverkusen. Really crazy.”
Speaking about the most impressive part of Alonso's season with Leverkusen so far, Klopp highlighted: “How quick his team is that well tuned. For the time it’s taken, he’s put his proper stamp on it.
"Nobody knows if that is always the way he wants to play or if it’s the way this team specifically plays, he is not long enough in the business to tell, but obviously the coaching part is exceptional. That is clear.”
