Xabi Alonso shares real reason he wasn't interested in interviewing for Liverpool job

Former Liverpool prima Xabi Alonso was linked with the manager's occupation astatine Anfield aft Jurgen Klopp decided to depart, but helium yet decided to stay astatine Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso has explained wherefore helium was not funny successful becoming Liverpool's caller manager aft Jurgen Klopp announced helium would beryllium leaving.

Klopp announced helium would beryllium lasting down arsenic Reds boss astatine the extremity of past play backmost successful January and Alonso emerged arsenic the aboriginal favourite to regenerate him. However, the Spaniard was successful the midst of guiding Bayer Leverkusen to their archetypal Bundesliga title and rapidly ruled himself retired of the running.

Arne Slot yet ended up landing the Liverpool occupation and, with Leverkusen present acceptable to instrumentality connected Liverpool astatine Anfield successful the Champions League, Alonso has reflected connected his determination not to instrumentality to his erstwhile club.

When asked if helium ever earnestly considered replacing Klopp astatine Liverpool, the erstwhile Reds midfielder replied: "At that clip I was focused, I had a large happening with the players and we were truly focused connected that."

He besides unopen down questions implicit whether helium would see returning to the nine arsenic manager successful the future, adding: "Let's speech astir the crippled tomorrow, it's much absorbing than my future. Let's speech astir the large players connected some sides, that is what is successful my head.

"For america it is simply a large situation to travel here. Liverpool astatine the infinitesimal is 1 of the champion if not the champion successful Europe, they are showing that successful a precise beardown Premier League and the Champions League.

"It's a bully squad, bully coach. At Anfield, it's a large challenge. We're looking guardant to it, let's spot what happens." And Slot has hailed his other fig arsenic a "special" manager up of the clash.

"That helium is special, that's clear," Slot said. "If you spell to a nine that was bottommost of the league and with the aforesaid players you bring them each the mode up without spending that overmuch wealth successful that summer, lone bringing successful 1 oregon 2 precise bully players, and they had the play [that they had].

"They lone mislaid the last of the Europa League, it tells you that helium is special. What it is that makes him peculiar is hard for maine to accidental due to the fact that I haven't faced him yet and I haven't worked with him.

"What mightiness beryllium the concern is that he's worked with precise bully managers successful the past, helium was a subordinate with unthinkable penetration successful the game, helium knew erstwhile to beryllium wherever and helium played astatine the highest levels truthful helium knows and understands however these players consciousness successful definite moments.

"That astir apt contributes to what makes him a bully manager. How helium is precisely truthful special? The champion mode to find that retired is to speech to the players helium has worked with and I haven’t done that yet."

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