Only after the end of the game did Xabi Alonso become really cool. For the first time that afternoon, the new Bayer Leverkusen head coach casually put his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath.
Despite the one-sided 4-0 (2-0) in the Bundesliga against the frighteningly weak FC Schalke 04, the Spanish former world-class professional had previously engaged, tensed and coached with gestures during his Bundesliga debut as a coach. “I’ll always do it that way now,” said the 40-year-old successor to Gerardo Seoane, who was on leave on Wednesday, after his great debut, which gave him a unique selling point: the Baske has been the Leverkusen coach with the most successful start since Saturday.
Alonso point my Aura
A world star as a Bayer coach in the Rhenish province – the courageous decision of those responsible around club boss Fernando Carro and sports director Simon Rolfes also had an effect on the players. “That was a bit of a wow factor,” admitted midfielder Robert Andrich, referring to the first moment in the dressing room with the 2010 World Champion. “But you have to put that into perspective. The player was the player and the coach is the coach.”
And as a coach, Alonso has so far only been able to score with his aura, but has hardly anything to show for this function. Most recently, the former professional from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Liverpool FC coached the second team from Real Sociedad San Sebastian. Taking office was a risk for both the 40-year-old and the Bayer crisis team, which was in a relegation zone until Saturday. The first doubts have been dispelled by the clear victory at the start, but they have not completely disappeared. And that’s not so much up to Bayer as it is up to the opponent.
“There’s still room for improvement because Schalke have already given us a lot of space – without wanting to sound disrespectful,” said Andrich. Spaces that the strong Moussa Diaby in particular made use of with a goal (38th minute) and two assists to goals by Jeremie Frimpong (41st/52nd). Substitute Paulinho (90′) completed the final score that was by no means too high.
It’s getting tight for the Schalke coach
Unlike Andrich, one could have said that Schalke simply didn’t have a Bundesliga format. Disastrous defensive behavior and a non-existent game idea currently ends in an unsightly bolt. “We noticed that Schalke didn’t want to play football,” said Andrich.
Schalke coach Frank Kramer, who only signed on in the summer, is now facing uncomfortable days until the next game next Friday against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The mood threatens to change. The many Schalke supporters who traveled with them clearly chanted “Kramer out”. What should worry the 50-year-old is that sporting director Rouven Schröder made no attempt to strengthen him. Schröder did not want to speak again on Saturday. Kramer, however, did not want to comment: “My job is to analyze and find solutions with the players so that we can do better next week. Everything else is not my concern.”
Despite the victory, Alonso also sees doing better as his task. Bayer’s claim is the renewed Champions League qualification. There is an important game in the group stage on Wednesday against FC Porto. “It was just one game. We have to keep going. We can still improve a lot of things,” said Alonso, for whom the foundation for the turnaround has been laid.
Bundesliga table
