High Press Episode 29: Xabi Alonso & Bayer Leverkusen

High Press Episode 29:

Episode 29 of the High Press podcast focuses on Xabi Alonso’s phenomenal success at Bayer Leverkusen this season.
Alonso has ended Bayern Munich’s run of Bundesliga titles, and is arguably having the greatest debut managerial season of all-time. Records continue to tumble for the Spaniard, who has more silverware in his sights.

How has Alonso changed Leverkusen?

Host Alison Bender is joined by Leon Mann, Art de Roché and Matt Barlow to discuss how Alonso has excelled, and where he might end up managing next after committing to Leverkusen for another season.

Mann and de Roché start the episode signing Alonso’s praises, with de Roché talking about how Alonso’s playing career at Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich must have helped his managerial development.

Mann says, “People don’t talk about this part of the story very much, but he’d actually just been relegated with Real Sociedad B, so it was seen as a big move to take him on.”
He also talks about the ‘firm philosophy’ throughout Leverkusen, from their youth teams through to their recruitment. The Bundesliga champions prioritised skillset over accolades when hiring Alonso, which has obviously paid huge dividends.

 Granit Xhaka’s resurgence

Bender talks up the influence of Granit Xhaka.
Barlow responds, “I think Xhaka has perhaps been underrated as a player. The travails he had at Arsenal, he’s clearly a good footballer. I think he’s a good personality, which is why they made him captain.”

Barlow even says Leverkusen’s stunning season has ‘recharged German football’, with Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the last four of the Champions League, and Leverkusen in the semis of the Europa League.

Looking at their chances of going the season unbeaten, Mann mentions how he was a bit worried before the West Ham match because there was ‘so much beer around’ after winning the title. Of course, the hangovers had eased, and Leverkusen made it past the Hammers.

Bender and Mann both identify communication as Alonso’s greatest skill. Bender recounts Alonso saying he thinks Carlo Ancelotti is the best man manager in the world. Jose Mourinho also picked out Alonso as a player who would make a successful manager.

After talking about how great players adapt to management, de Roché makes an interesting point about Alonso’s role as a player.
“He was just doing his job. I think he understood from a very early age anyway it’s about what he’s doing to affect others around him.”

Greatest debut managerial season

Considering the other great debut seasons, de Roché picks out Andre Villas-Boas, and wonders if Villas-Boas’ difficult path after Porto will influence Alonso’s decision-making. Barlow selects Kenny Dalglish but accepts that Dalglish was joining a ‘powerhouse’, while Alonso had to take on more of a project.

With a look ahead to next season, Barlow is pessimistic about Leverkusen’s chances of building on this season, although he ‘admires’ Alonso’s decision to take on another campaign at the BayArena.

Where next for Alonso?

Mann wonders if Alonso is choosing to develop for another year before taking on the Premier League. de Roché thinks a stint at Liverpool is inevitable, but Barlow believes Real Madrid is likely to be Alonso’s next job.

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