Challenge of being a manager is very exciting, confesses Xabi Alonso

Eight managers, 121 trophies between them and the only common link just happens to be Xabi Alonso. But the Spaniard, who retired as a player in 2017, has taken everything he’s learnt and used it in his managerial career having being appointed by Real Sociedad B’s team. The team started doing so well that September saw the Spaniard heavily linked with a move to replace Zinedine Zidane.

But while that move never materialized, Alonso’s Real Sociedad has gone through some good and bad times but it’s just the start the former midfielder admitted. In an interview, Alonso went on to reveal that it’s the challenge of being a manager that excites him and that he needed a sabbatical after his playing career ended with him using the time to earn his coaching badges.

“The challenge is exciting. I feel like I have to prove myself every single day. I don’t want to be known for what I have done. I want to be known for what I am doing. A manager has to win confidence. Once you have the confidence of the collective, then you can be more demanding, asking for improvements tactically and physically,” Alonso admitted.

“Managers sometimes arrive from other clubs where they have been successful and are demanding straight away. They think that their achievements elsewhere will earn them the respect they need and allow them to demand things from players they’ve never met before,” he added.