It was always on my mind to come back, reveals Xabi Alonso ahead of his managerial debut
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Xabi Alonso has opened up on his managerial journey, with the Spaniard set to make his managerial debut on Saturday with Real Sociedad’s B team. The 37-year-old, who had spells at Bayern Munich and Real Madrid as well, retired from football two years ago after 20 trophy-laden years as a player.
Alonso also played a major role in Spain’s golden era, where the national side went on to win three consecutive trophies including the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Now it looks like the 37-year-old is following a similar managerial path as former manager Pep Guardiola and is ready to make his managerial debut for Real Sociedad’s B team in the third division of Spanish football.
The former Real Madrid and Liverpool, who star started his career with Sociedad before moving on to bigger and brighter things, believes that this was always his first step as a coach. In an interview with the BBC, Alonso, who retired two years ago, went on to admit that he’s excited about his new role on the touchline.
“It was always on my mind to come back. I didn't know if it would be as a player or as a coach but I wanted to come back to San Sebastian to live and be part of the club. The club is doing a great job with the youth teams and really support the young players to become professionals and to feed the first team with the players, to develop, to improve them to be ready for the first team,” Alonso said to the BBC.
"To be part of that process was a big challenge, a big part of the formation as a coach and so many players are reaching the first team because they're doing a great job with the young teams. It's early stages for me in terms of my philosophy but my idea is not so far from what I was as a player.
“I was a midfielder, I liked to control the game, to understand the game and that's what I'm trying to do. I rely on the players but I am trying for them to have that encouragement to understand the game and read what's going on in the game. That's my job,” concluded the Spanish international.
