Xabi Alonso ‘does not tick’ all Liverpool boxes, but former Red feels he’ll ‘get the gig’ anyway

Former Liverpool man Danny Murphy has disagreed with a recent statement on Xabi Alonso, who “does not tick” all the boxes for the club, but he is “going to get the gig” regardless.

At the back end of January, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp revealed he would be stepping away from Anfield at the end of the season. It’ll bring to an end a nine-year stay with the club, in which almost every major trophy possible to be won has been.

Liverpool are currently at the summit of the Premier League table, two points above Manchester City.

Klopp already seems a difficult figure to take over from given not only what he’s won with the club, but his connection with the fans, and a Premier League title in his farewell season would only strengthen that.

It seems Reds fans believe there’s only one man that can replicate the connection as well as the competitive nature: Alonso.

The former Liverpool midfielder – who won his first of two Champions League trophies while playing with them – has been touted as the favourite for the job since Klopp left; Alonso has Bayer Leverkusen five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Stephen Warnock recently stated he believes Alonso “ticks all the boxes” for the Reds, in reference to the fact he used to play for them and is showing he’s a top manager.

Former Liverpool player Murphy does not share the sentiment.

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Alonso ‘does not tick’ every box for Murphy

“Alonso, at the moment, for what he is doing at Bayer Leverkusen, in the style in which he is doing, it looks like a super young coach with lots of qualities,” Murphy said on talkSPORT.

“He has a team playing for him; he’s got a nice style, is easy on the eye, very articulate, calm, and has been at Liverpool before.

“He ticks a lot of boxes, but he does not tick them all. The problem you have is that nobody does, especially who I can think of.

“That’s why I say I think Alonso is going to get the gig, and probably rightly so, in my opinion.”

Indeed, Murphy’s suggestion that Alonso does not tick every box is due to the fact he feels an elite manager who’s won everything should be coming through the door, but nobody is available who fits that mould.

Perfect Klopp replacement doesn’t exist

“I think in an ideal world, you would want a manager to come and take over from Jurgen Klopp to have a bigger body of work, even if [Alonso] wins the Bundesliga.

“Like any footballer, you can have a purple patch, you can have a wonderful season, and vice versa in management.

“You want a manager coming in who has had a body of work, had success all over the place, and has every chance of doing what Klopp has done. Unfortunately, I don’t think that candidate is out there and stands out.”

That’s not strictly true, Jose Mourinho has won four Premier League titles, three Champions Leagues and been named world’s best coach on four occasions, along with other honours.

He’s without a club at the moment, and fits the bill Murphy is talking about. In any case, most would probably rather Alonso – as he’s a coach on the up and has that connection with Liverpool – than Mourinho.

Murphy feels that Alonso could become elite, though, and that could be enough.

“So, what you do next, you go to the next box, which is to somebody who is potentially able to do that and has the capabilities,” he said.

“A bit like buying a good young footballer who looks like he is going to be a world beater.”

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