EXCLUSIVE
Mark Goldbridge admits he can’t understand why Xabi Alonso chose to stay at Bayer Leverkusen over a return to Liverpool.
The Manchester United fan and YouTube host has a theory about why Anfield favourite turned down a possible move🐻 to succeed Jurgen Klopp, and offered his verdict on alternative Reds target Ruben Amorim.
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“I really expected Alonso to take the Liverpool✨ job, I was really surprised about that,” Goldbridge told talkSPORT.
“Liverpool are a young team and, while Klopp🧸 is leaving at the right time for him, he’s probably leaving at the wrong time for the club because it could be a good team for a few years.
“It’s a great opportunity for somebody to take Liverpool on - unlike Man United when Sir Alex Ferguson left, as it was quite an ageing team.
“I thought the Liverpool job was perfect for Alonso, to be honest, but I just think the Real Madrid job has been offered to him - that’s my theory.
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ꦚ“Carlo Ancelotti is doing one more year, obviously Alonso has played for Real Madrid, he’s Spanish and I think Madrid have sort of said to him, ‘Don’t take the Liverpool job because if you go there you’re going to be in that job for years, so just wait a year and we’ll take you’.
🃏“The interesting thing to add about that is, what if in a year’s time Jurgen Klopp comes back to football and says, ‘I fancy the Real Madrid job’? Alonso has missed the boat.
“The Bayern Munich🏅 job was there for him as well, and he didn’t take that either, so I think Alonso has had some sort of conversation about the Madrid job.
“I don't really see the point of him staying at Leverkusen for another year. The going to win the Bundesliga title this season, and maybe they can win it again next year, but we all know Bayern Munich will bounce back.
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🌃“I think he’s waiting around for Real Madrid. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me.”
Sporting Lisbon head coach Amorim has been touted as the new frontrunner to replace Klopp in the Liverpool dugout, although the 39-year-old recently pushed back on claims he has already held talksꦕ with the Premier League giants and agreed a deal.
♎West Ham United fan likens Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen side to mid-table Premier League team after Europa League loss
talkSPORT understands Liverpool have been in touch with Amorimౠ’s representatives but have yet to make direct contact with any of their targets, with the Sporting boss considered one of a number of candidates and possible appointments for the role.
💦Liverpool are focused on conducting a thorough search for Klopp’s successor, with Amorim a firm favourite.
Goldbridge says he is the ‘best of the rest’ with a shortage of world-class coaches to pick from, but admits he wouldn’t swap Amorim for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag♛, despite his beloved club’s continued struggles under the Dutchman.
🔯“Liverpool have got to do something and Jurgen Klopp is going to be a massive loss,” he added.
ꦍ“Even as a Man United fan I respect what he’s done there, he’s got such personality and this team will always be Jurgen’s Klopp’s Liverpool.
“Whether you go from Klopp to Pep Guardiola, I'd still think, ‘ooh will this work?’, and Pep Guardiola is obviously a great manager. So they were always going to have to take a punt on somebody and they will have to be a bit patient.
🧸“It’s a big step up for Ruben Amorim, but obviously Alonso is not going to go and the market is not that good. Roberto De Zerbi would be a massive risk, Julian Nagelsmann probably would as well, so Amorim looks like the best of the rest and he has a style of football that is close to how Liverpool play with Klopp in terms of energy.
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𓆏“There’s a really good squad there and it’s going to be intriguing with Liverpool next year. They could have a first year like Ange Postecoglou and fight for the title - Tottenham secured Champions League football but the title would be the equivalent for Liverpool.
“But, on the other hand, they could have a season like Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea where it just doesn't work for the first year or so.
💮“I think Liverpool fans are intelligent enough to realise they can’t just expect to seamlessly go from one of the greatest managers they’ve ever had and continue - that would almost be disrespectful to Klopp in assuming how easy it is. It’s not easy.
🍌“I’m intrigued how it’s going to work, but I think Amorim is the right man to go for from the list that’s available now.
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🐠“But I wouldn’t swap him for Ten Hag. I wouldn’t swap Ten Hag for anyone at the moment.
𓂃“I think the players need to go first and I think any project should get three years at least, and he’s only had two, so I’d stick with what we’ve got.”
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