{"id":443528,"date":"2026-05-11T16:45:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T16:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/443528\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T16:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T16:45:11","slug":"xabi-alonso-might-not-replace-arne-slot-for-one-stupid-reason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/443528\/","title":{"rendered":"Xabi Alonso might not replace Arne Slot for one stupid reason"},"content":{"rendered":"

Xabi Alonso\u2019s potential popularity at Liverpool could be a reason why the club\u2019s decision-makers opt not to bring him back to the club, Melissa Reddy suggested.<\/p>\n

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The former Red, who was a key fixture in Rafa Benitez\u2019s Champions League-winning side, has been heavily linked with the perhaps soon-to-be-vacant head coach role at L4.<\/p>\n

This comes amid what has been a supremely disappointing campaign on the red half of Merseyside, with Liverpool limping towards a finish inside the Champions League spots.<\/p>\n

Do Liverpool want to avoid a repeat of the Jurgen Klopp situation?<\/p>\n

A significant part of the reason behind Michael Edwards\u2019 first exit from his role at Liverpool, we were led to believe, was Jurgen Klopp having a greater say in the decision-making at L4 behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

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Darwin Nunez, for instance, was believed to be a signing that the German head coach personally pushed for \u2013 though not necessarily a typical Edwardian signing.<\/p>\n

One certainly gets the impression that our former sporting director\u2019s return to Liverpool hinged on that power balance swinging back firmly in favour of the boffins. So it makes sense that Arne Slot was brought in specifically to be the \u201chead coach\u201d instead of \u201cmanager\u201d.<\/p>\n

And look, we\u2019re okay with that, but Melissa Reddy\u2019s suggestion that Liverpool may be avoiding a serious look at Xabi Alonso as the Dutchman\u2019s replacement<\/a> due to fears of a repeat of the \u201cKlopp factor\u201d is troubling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do the drops of information against Xabi Alonso centre around his use of a back three at Bayer Leverkusen when he employed a back four at Real Sociedad B and Real Madrid?\u201d\u00a0the former Sky Sports reporter wrote on her personal Substack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile there are doubts around the 44-year-old\u2019s coaching ceiling as he\u2019s in the embryonic stages of his career and he is not the slam dunk portrayed, is part of the issue also the popularity he would automatically command?<\/p>\n

\u201cAs succession planning is constantly worked on, what characteristics would the club be looking for now in their next head coach?\u201d<\/p>\n

Xabi Alonso seems to be the best candidate available<\/p>\n

Is it possible that Liverpool\u2019s decision-makers would sooner stick with Arne Slot for another season than commit to his potential Spanish successor for fear of the power balance swinging back toward the manager?<\/p>\n

Reddy\u2019s absolutely right to point out that the 44-year-old\u2019s potential return at Anfield would be a popular decision.<\/p>\n

But at the moment, there are also some pretty significant doubts over whether both Edwards and Richard Hughes will still be at the club beyond the upcoming summer window.<\/p>\n

In that case, is the decision to hold on to Arne Slot<\/a> one made in the interest of guaranteeing some continuity at the club amid some key exits behind the scenes?<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s the rationale, it\u2019s a poor one. Liverpool look utterly rudderless on the pitch, to the point that it\u2019s hard to see how a change \u2013 any change \u2013 wouldn\u2019t lead to a notable uplift in performance levels.<\/p>\n

And given that the likes of Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick likely won\u2019t be on the market this summer, we don\u2019t really see a better alternative to Alonso.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\t\tMore Stories \/ Latest News<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\"Xabi\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\"Ian\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\"Arne\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

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