Alonso heals Real Madrid scars to lead Chelsea's senior revolution
Watching Xabi Alonso coach his Chelsea team conjures flashbacks of his playing days at Liverpool and Real Madrid.
The 44-year-old, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, is fully involved in training sessions, teeing up players with accurate short passes before hitting his trademark cross-field balls at Sky Park, the home of Sydney FC.
It has impressed his players in Australia on their pre-season tour, with outstanding ball-playing centre-back Levi Colwill admitting he feels "jealous".
In a hotel in Sydney's Darling Harbour, Alonso detailed the long path to Chelsea through his father, Periko Alonso, a fellow Spain international and former Real Sociedad and Barcelona player.
As a child, Xabi would stand next to Periko in the kitchen as he prepared his training sessions for the next day. Perhaps it was inevitable he would follow in his footsteps.
"The road was not unknown for me. I had seen that at home," he said.
"I'm not saying it was meant to be, but I had to try it. I wanted to try it, but not straight to the top level. I started in the under-14s and that was the way I wanted. It felt natural, not to rush."
It's typical of Alonso, whose style of play was characterised by slowing the game down.
'I got a scar, now it is healed'
Alonso took his time coaching in youth football, but it soon felt - much like in his playing career - as though he could only achieve success.
After taking over Bayer Leverkusen, previously nicknamed 'Neverkusen' in Germany because their best teams had only ever been able to finish second, Alonso made history in 2024 by leading them to an unprecedented domestic double: a first Bundesliga title and a first DFB-Pokal triumph since 1993.
Alonso says that achievement was "unexpectedly fantastic". However, after joining Real Madrid in May last year, he left by mutual consent following reports in Spain of disputes with key players such as Vinicius Jr.
"Luckily, there are not too many scars in my career," he said of his early Madrid exit. "I got a scar, now it is healed and I am determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid.
"For the things that didn't work, I have been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better. You learn from the disappointment of things."
It is fascinating to see how a character like Alonso, with 15 major titles, deals with a rare disappointment.
In the four months between Alonso leaving Madrid and joining Chelsea, he used that time to "reset energy".
That energy is on show. In his final session in Sydney, Alonso conducted a full run-through with his squad before facing Spurs, then pulled Nicolas Jackson and Moises Caicedo aside for drills in which he backed into them and tried to knock them off the ball.
There has been an emphasis on team-building, with players allowed time to explore, go to the cinema and do tourist activities. The whole squad visited the refurbished North Sydney Olympic Pool for an Australian winter swim.
Secret meetings and older players
Alonso held discreet meetings in London and his hometown of San Sebastian over three weeks in early May to ensure Chelsea was the right fit.
Despite questions as to why he chose the Blues over his former club Liverpool, there was no offer on the table from the latter.
"I had a view of Chelsea from the outside," he explained, revealing how carefully he considered the move to Stamford Bridge and the early discussions with sporting directors about his vision for the club.
"I could see the positives and my concerns, so I addressed them. We had the same ideas, the same analysis, to start building momentum together. That is why we are taking these steps together and making decisions to build a good team."
That vision extends to the signing of £117m forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. He was Chelsea's first-choice attacking target and was secured despite interest from Premier League champions Arsenal.
Alonso has also added full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, who could prove key to implementing the system he used at Bayer Leverkusen, while talks remain open over left-sided option Pep Chavarria of Rayo Vallecano.
"We have taken a few steps but I feel that we can still take a few more," Alonso said when asked about the backing he has received.
Alonso has been careful not to overplay his hand when speaking to the media, but he always gives the impression he is heavily involved.
His role as the first manager, rather than head coach, under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has perhaps been overstated. The club's five sporting directors remain responsible for much of the operation, albeit in constant dialogue with Alonso and his staff.
As ever at this time of year, Chelsea are open for business.
There is genuine excitement around the arrival of striker Danny Welbeck, 35, who will now join the squad for pre-season.
His role will be to provide experienced cover for Joao Pedro while also bringing a positive influence behind the scenes.
Midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, is also set to arrive after Chelsea were unable to secure Alonso's former Bayer Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka from Sunderland.
As he did under England manager Thomas Tuchel at this summer's World Cup, Henderson is expected to help drive standards as a vocal leader, something Chelsea have lacked.
It would be similar to the role Alonso played under Pep Guardiola towards the end of his career at Bayern Munich.
It is a senior revolution at the Premier League's youngest team.
Chelsea have previously suffered from indiscipline, a perceived softness defending set-pieces and, perhaps most importantly, a lack of leadership and dressing-room culture.
"You need the right balance of personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early 20s, early 30s and everything in between," Alonso said of reshaping of his squad.
Culture is another area Alonso knows he needs to address. "In the Basque Country, we have a strong sense of collective purpose and culture," he said.
Alonso believes that culture must extend beyond the playing squad. He recently provided the assists for the winning side in a staff game before Chelsea's overseas trip.
The move also represents good timing on a personal level. With children aged 18, 16 and 12, there is excitement within the family about moving to London.
And although Chelsea ended last season in 10th place and without a trophy, Alonso sees his new club as an exciting opportunity.
"The situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season," he said when explaining why he took the job.
"There is big potential to improve and let's see how long it takes."
One month into the role, Alonso is encouraged that much of what he hoped would happen is already taking shape. Yet there remains an element of the unknown as he looks to leave his mark on one of the Premier League's biggest clubs, this time as a manager rather than a player.
"For sure, it had to come a lot from here," he said, pointing first to his heart and then to his head.
"And also from here," he added, pointing to his stomach.
"It has to come from the gut. I felt it was good timing for the club and good timing for myself. It was a good opportunity and I felt I had the chance to enjoy being a manager."
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