14 February 2024 , 01:00
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Jamie Carragher doesn't subscribe to the theory that former Liverpool teammate Xabi Alonso is too inexperienced to be the club's next manager.
Alonso, 42, is currently enjoying a dream start to his managerial career and has German side Bayer Leverkusen on course to become the first team to pip Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title since 2012. For the three previous seasons, the Spaniard was in charge of Real Sociedad's B team as he learned his trade after a playing career spent working under some of football's greatest ever managers.
Having guided Leverkusen to a statement 3-0 win at home to Bayern on Saturday, the clamour for him to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool has only increased, with Carragher among his biggest backers. One lingering concern is that Alonso lacks a wealth experience on his CV, but according to the ex-Reds defender, he's still the "standout candidate."
"It's still very early in his managerial career," Carragher admitted on CBS Sports. "In an ideal world you'd say, 'It's Xabi Alonso but he's had another job, he might have won a Champions League somewhere else, he's won a league here' and all these different things.
"But, I don't see where he is right now, anyone that would be in front of him in terms of what Liverpool fans want or maybe the Liverpool board want. I don't know what the Liverpool board want but he just feels like he is the standout candidate."
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Your turn! Should Xabi Alonso become Liverpool's next manager? Join the debate in the comments section.
Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen are top of the Bundesliga (Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images)In contrast, Alonso's connection to Anfield, having played for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009, is seen as a major positive by many. Again, though, Carragher doesn't read too much into that fact either. "It's not even just about playing for Liverpool," he affirmed.
"I think if Xabi Alonso hadn't played for Liverpool or there was another manager at Bayer Leverkusen doing the job that he's doing now that has the CV he had as a player and had played for the managers he's played for, he'd be in the running for the Liverpool job anyway.
"The fact that he's a former player, and I'm not massive on a former player or someone who knows the club, it's about getting the best guy to do the job. That's just added onto the fact he's doing a great job as a manager. He looks like he could go on to do great things."
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