DOMINIC KING: Xabi Alonso was always destined to be a manager, and his appointment at Bayer Leverkusen is a fascinating one... the former Liverpool midfielder has every chance of making his new career on the touchline a resounding success

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It is a question that gets asked when a player moves to the second phase of his career and finds himself making the big decisions. Usually, the inquiry is made to a former team-mate in order to get a character insight.

'Did you ever think they would become a manager?'

In Xabi Alonso's case, the answer will always be 'yes'. The Spaniard, who achieved all there was to achieve when elegantly patrolling the midfields of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, was this week appointed head coach of Bayer Leverkusen. It is a fascinating appointment.

Xabi Alonso has been appointed the new manager of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen

Alonso retired in 2017 with a 17 major honours on his CV, including one World Cup, two European Championships and two Champions Leagues; he was capped 114 times by Spain and played football beautifully, his range of passing was as good as anyone in his generation.

Since then, he has been working quietly gaining experience. First with Real Madrid's Under-14s, then three years with Real Sociedad's B team, whom he led into Spain's Segunda Division in 2021 – it was the first they had been in that league since the 1960s.

Now he has accepted the challenge of reviving Bayer Leverkusen, who are currently one off the bottom in the Bundesliga and jostling to get out of their Champions League group with Porto and Atletico Madrid behind runaway leaders Club Brugge.

At his press conference on Thursday, Alonso – who is now 40 – spoke about understanding how patience in football is not something the modern day coach is afforded and he is aware of the onus on him to get results at a club with an excellent pedigree.

The situation may seem daunting but Alonso would not have jumped in had possessed doubts. He is an intelligent man and a footballing encyclopaedia with firm views on how the game should be played; the years he spent in England were crucial to his education.

Alonso was an elegant footballer in his playing days, winning the biggest trophies in football

'I took the intensity of the Premier League,' Alonso told Sportsmail in November 2014. 'I needed to adapt to that without forgetting the understanding of the game and the tactical approach, the movements – was it best playing with Stevie (Gerrard) in the middle or from the right?

'Working alongside (Javier) Mascherano and Lucas (Leiva)… For me, it was like a student trying to learn things. Rafa, of course, was a great manager. He gave me a lot of responsibility playing that role. He was a very important manager in my career.'

That answer was given during the course of a 60-minute conversation with Jamie Carragher at Bayern Munich's Sabener Strasse training base. 

To look back on it now, eight years on, it was clear to see that Alonso was already thinking several steps ahead: consider this appraisal.

'Each team I see (that is successful) has to be comfortable playing with three systems – at least,' he said. 'They need to adapt to each game, depending on the circumstances. It is not about not being loyal to your identity. No, no, no.

Alonso will now get the chance to prove his worth as a manager at Bayer Leverkusen

'It is about knowing your strengths and showing your players what you need to do each game to prepare in the right way. You need to be able to manage at least three or four systems. Of course a lot depends on the quality of the players. As a manager, you have to have good players.

'You need to show them how you want to be able to play and then deliver that message. There isn't just one type of football. It is nothing to do with betraying your principles of football. I don't see it that way.'

Also within that discussion, the topic of Liverpool came to the fore. Alonso has always been idolised by The Kop, a point that was reaffirmed late last month when he returned to Anfield to play in a Legends game and afforded a thunderous reception.

Liverpool will always be in Alonso's heart but might they be in his future? There is absolutely no question that all his former clubs will be watching how he fares with Leverkusen, from the way he gets his teams playing to how he develops players.

Alonso could follow in the footsteps of Mikel Arteta who is currently impressing at Arsenal

His close friend Mikel Arteta has grown into the role of leading Arsenal, whom Liverpool face on Sunday, and there is no question that Alonso's development as a coach has been on similar lines: it is not a difficult task to envisage him standing on a touchline in the Premier League one day.

There is no sign of Jurgen Klopp, who celebrates his seventh anniversary at Liverpool this weekend, going anywhere before 2026 but, undoubtedly, a plan will be worked on in the intervening years to determine who will succeed the German.

That is what adds an extra level of intrigue to his installation at Leverkusen – excellent work on the banks of the Rhine will open up all kinds of avenues, not least to the banks of the Mersey. 

This, potentially, is the start of a thrilling new chapter: Alonso has the tools to make it a resounding success.