As Liverpool’s hunt for a new manager goes on, the excitement continues to build over Xabi Alonso.
Alonso was already the favourite to take over from Jurgen Klopp prior to this weekend. However, with many Liverpool fans having watched his Bayer Leverkusen team dismantle Bayern Munich on Saturday, there’s new-found belief that it’s Xabi or bust.
However, the 42-year-old isn’t the only one on the Reds’ shortlist. It feels that the likelihood is that Alonso would say yes to Liverpool if offered the job. But it isn’t a done deal. As a result, other candidates still have to be considered. And according to The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspurs’ boss Ange Postecoglou is one of those under consideration.
They claim that although Alonso is the ‘overwhelming’ favourite, Postecoglou has been added to Liverpool’s list of alternatives. Should the Spaniard stay put at Leverkusen or even head somewhere else, the Reds would reportedly be looking at Ange.
Ordinarily, this may cause some concern at Tottenham. But the North London club are said to be unconcerned by the interest from Anfield. In fact, they’re said to be ‘extremely confident’ that Postecoglou would turn down any approach from Liverpool.
The 58-year-old has previously spoken of his support of the Reds in his younger years. However, this has ‘not raised concern’ at Spurs, who are claimed to be under the impression that Postecoglou is happy and committed to managing them.
Ange happy at Tottenham
In truth, you feel that Liverpool would have to go some way down their list before they considered making an approach to Postecoglou.
That isn’t to do down the job the Australian is doing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He’s clearly a very good manager and has a Klopp-like personality to match. Jamie Carragher has previously called him ‘brilliant’, too. [Daily Record].
Had the timing been slightly different, maybe there’s a chance he would be more in the running. But it would clearly be difficult to get Postecoglou our of Spurs right now.
Even if that wasn’t the case, there are several other candidates out there who should be well ahead of Ange at the moment.
Obviously, Alonso is the one who everyone wants and the smart money should be on the Spaniard taking over in the summer.
But beyond Liverpool’s former No.14, the likes of Ruben Amorim are said to feature highly in the Reds’ thinking.
Alonso is 42 and Amorim is 39. Another name being mentioned – Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi – is 44. Liverpool are clearly looking for a younger man to take over and inject some energy.
At 58, Postecoglou is at the other end of that scale and is actually even older than Klopp. That shouldn’t rule him out automatically, but his desire to stay where is and the presence of better candidates should. Time to cross this one off.
Full steam ahead on Xabi please, lads!
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