Hopelessly destined for success. Xabi Alonso is the ideal coach for Real Madrid

The White Ballet is slowly but surely heading for another league title. Besides, it’s got a great run in the Champions League. Either way, the seat under Carlo Ancelotti is not the firmest. Especially after the debacle of the last El Clásico, in which Barcelona outplayed them 0:4.

But let’s get to the man the whole text is about. Xabi Alonso is forty years old and was born in Tolosa, a town in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in northern Spain. He comes from a footballing family, his father Miguel Ángel Alonso surprisingly to many played for Barcelona.

He is now the coach of Real Sociedad B in the second highest Spanish football competition. He boasts a fantastic football career. He has been through Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern. He has always been the brains of these teams and a typical sixth man. He dictated the tempo, read the game perfectly and was one of the important players in key matches. Especially when we are talking about defensive assignments.

He was coached by the best, men like Rafa Benitez, José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti or Pep Guardiola. For all of them, Xabi Alonso was the central element of the line-up. The experience gained with them allowed him to make a big leap after his playing career ended.

To list his greatest achievements, we can mention the World Cup title, becoming a double champion at the Euros, in addition to this he won the Champions League twice, LaLiga, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, Bundesliga, German Cup or European Super Cup. On top of all that, he was voted the best Spanish player in LaLiga for 2003 by Real Sociedad.

“He was one of my best midfielders and I knew he would become a good coach,” Carlo Ancelotti said of him at the time. The philosophy he demands of his players is simple. He tries to keep the ball on his hoof as much as possible, he demands precisely targeted attacks and great movement in midfield to distract or outnumber the opposition.

After losing the ball, it requires high tackling and recovering the ball as quickly as possible. Practices a 4-3-3 formation with one midfielder at the 6 position and two at the 8 position, moving in a wide area depending on the development of the match or the change of formation to 4-2-3-1.

The key component is the goalkeeper, from whom the attacks are based and moves between the two central defenders. The goalkeeper is therefore the first to generate an advantage over the opponent. Soccer is a risky game and Xabi wants the goalkeeper to be the third defender in the phase of establishing the attack.

Often Xabi’s team can be seen switching with the ball on the ball to a 3-2-4-1 formation, which is also growing in popularity with other coaches. The right-back often withdraws and becomes the third “central defender” This allows the left back to move up and become a winger.

The left winger, on the other hand, takes the role of 10. The remaining midfielder at 8 becomes a box-to-box player. The other midfielder in the 8 position can move up a notch to become even a second 10. The right winger keeps his position, as does the top striker.

This option allows you to occupy the midfield with four players and be outnumbered with the ball. The two central midfielders in position 6 fix the opponents in the centre of midfield, freeing up space for the front four players. The goal is to hold position and have movement.

In the defensive phase, Xabi emphasizes winning the ball. The ball must be recovered as quickly as possible. This is helped by pulling four players, plus a spike striker. If the opponent manages to break this line, the team drops down and creates a 4-1-4-1 on their thirty meters in tight lines.

Real Madrid has already trained. In the 2018/2019 season, he led the Infantil A team, which are players under the age of fourteen. With his charges, they became champions in their category. In 26 matches, they scored 25 wins and one defeat. In addition, they managed to score 159 goals and only four goals were scored.

From 2019 until now, they lead the Real Sociedad B team. Last season, they managed to advance to the second highest Spanish football competition. They scored 53 points in the group, recorded 16 wins, 5 draws and 5 defeats. In the play-offs they beat Androrra 2-1, then Algeciras by the same scoreline and returned to the Segunda Division after 60 years.

The second division is not doing well at the moment. In 33 games, his charges have managed 7 wins, 10 draws and 16 losses. They are struggling to stay up and are six points behind the first non-relegation position held by Málaga.

Xabi Alonso embodies change. A young coach with new ideas. He is gaining experience and has the charisma that a Real Madrid coach must have. He understands football. No question about it. Moreover, he has an idea of the game his team can present. He has the DNA of Real Madrid in his blood. A born winner who has defended their colours on the pitch, in the dressing room and on social media for five years.

He could use his former teammate and friend Álvaro Arbeloa as an assistant. He is currently leading Madrid’s youngsters in the Cadete A category. I’m not suggesting that the entire Real Madrid management team quit in the summer.

Carlo Ancelotti is doing an excellent job, despite the result in El Clásico. In any case, the White Ballet always strive for excellence and should slowly start thinking about the future that Xabi Alonso on the coaching bench represents.

Source: Twitter