Jamie Carragher has claimed that Xabi Alonso's allegiances with Liverpool don't affect his standing as the best option to replace Jurgen Klopp
The current Bayer Leverkusen manager is the clear favourite to take the Anfield hot seat from Klopp
Alonso, 42, is only 18 months into his top-level coaching career having taken over in Germany last season.
He has turned things around quickly though and is on course to end a decade-long period of Bayern Munich dominance in Bundesliga.
Carragher explained that there's much more to the former Reds midfielder than his past in Merseyside.
Carragher
"I think there's a number of reasons why he's a good fit
"It's not even just about playing for Liverpool."
"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.
"It's still very early in his managerial career so 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."
Carragher added
"If Xabi Alonso was to become the Liverpool manager, which I think he will, I actually think Liverpool have been quite fortunate that Jurgen Klopp is moving on and the time for Xabi Alonso to step in is pretty perfect with the job he is doing."
"Would I expect a Xabi Alonso team at Liverpool to be there? Maybe, but I’d expect them to be in the middle in terms of what Bayer Leverkusen are, what Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are, because he has to have his own philosophy and his imprint in the team, but also, this team is so used to playing in a certain way under Jurgen Klopp and also the fact of Anfield.
"The crowd and the energy, Xabi Alonso knows that so I think we will maybe see a merge of the two styles if he was to get the job. But for me, right now, he is looking like the brightest young thing out there."
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