Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, has admitted that he would leave the club if they continued to struggle, but there is no clear long-term replacement for the German
Jurgen Klopp is a genuine Liverpool legend who has already cemented his place in Anfield lore, but even the well-liked German has been subjected to speculation about what will happen after his stellar tenure concludes.
It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Reds legend Steven Gerrard was being touted as the man to replace Klopp, but his disastrous spell at Aston Villa appears to have put an end to his hopes of managing the club he values above all others – at least for the time being.
Surprisingly, while Gerrard’s stock is falling, his former Anfield teammate Xabi Alonso has begun to establish himself as one of Europe’s most exciting managerial prospects following his impressive work with Bayer Leverkusen.
Since his arrival in October, Alonso has done wonders for Leverkusen, who advanced to the Europa League semi-finals in midweek. And the Spaniard has helped lift the relegation fears that had dogged them in the Bundesliga, with only RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich amassing more points than Leverkusen in the last 20 league games while playing an appealing, attacking brand of football
If Alonso’s coaching career continues on its current path, there is little doubt that he will be a strong contender to replace Klopp when he leaves Merseyside.
But there is already a problem for Liverpool: other clubs are well aware of Alonso and his growing reputation. According to The Sun, West Ham are fans of the Leverkusen manager, and senior figures see him as a top candidate to take over if they decide to part ways with David Moyes at the end of the season.
The current Hammers manager is under pressure at the London Stadium after a disastrous Premier League season, despite guiding his team to the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
And, while Alonso has only been in charge of Leverkusen for a little more than six months, he did spend three years in charge of Real Sociedad’s B team and has a wealth of Premier League experience from his playing days at Anfield, so West Ham would not be put off by his lack of coaching experience.
Alonso’s impressive start to life in the dugout should come as no surprise; the former playmaker worked under some of Europe’s best coaches, including Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, before calling it quits in 2017.
Despite Liverpool’s difficulties this season, Klopp remains a popular figure at Anfield. However, he himself stated that if campaigns like this became commonplace, he would resign.
When asked earlier this month if he’d ever had a season like this, Klopp replied, “No, thank God.” I wouldn’t be Liverpool manager if I had a couple of these seasons. We must get through it. That’s just how life is. To change your fortunes, you must fight.”
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