The new coach of Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso, said that he is ready for the job at the German football club.
After three years in the reserve team of Real Sociedad, the 40-year-old Alonso was appointed coach of Bayer Leverkusen. It is his first coaching job in the senior competition, and before that he had several other offers.
– I thought I should prepare and wait for the right moment. I think I’m ready now and this is the right time. And this is a great project – Alonso said at a press conference in Leverkusen.
He inherited a team that won just two games all season and is second to last in the Bundesliga table after eight rounds. Bayer was eliminated from the Cup after losing to the third division Elversberg.
Alonso replaced Gerardo Seoane on the bench, who was fired on Wednesday a day after the defeat against Porto (0:2) in the Champions League.
– I have no doubt that we have quality, that we have a team. Congratulations to Gerardo Seoane for the job he did last year, they played great football, achieved great things, but what is happening recently, these things happen in football. I am grateful for the work he did – said Alonso.
He spoke at the press conference in English and German.
– I don’t speak French, but if I need to learn, I will learn – said Alonso, referring to the soccer players from numerous countries whom he met for the first time during training.
He added that good ball control, which Leverkusen lacks this season, is key to success.
– I was a midfielder and it is something that is close to me, to build that control – he said.
Also, Alonso said that it is important for the team to maintain full concentration during the entire game, including stoppage time.
– You can be great for 80 minutes, but if you are not strong in 10 or if you fall apart in bad moments, in today’s football, it can kill you – he added.
During his playing career, he was irreplaceable in the midfield, among other things he won the Champions League with Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as titles with Bayern Munich in every season. He played 114 games for the Spanish national team, scored 16 goals and won the World Cup and two European Championships.
As a player, he worked with coaches such as Vicente del Bosque in the Spanish national team, Jose Mourinho in Real Madrid, Rafael Benitez in Liverpool and Pep Guardiola in Bayern.
He will make his debut on the Bayer bench on Saturday against Schalke, followed by a match with Porto in the Champions League.
– Nothing is certain in life. If you don’t try something, you’ll never get where you want to go. I’m here, I’m happy. I am here, motivated, because I believe that we can achieve it – said Alonso.
