Did Alonso ask her about her advice in this conversation?
As a technical director, I handled his transfer to Bayern in 2014, and we then had three together, exciting years in Munich. Even after that, we always stayed in touch. But Xabi Alonso is totally self -determined, has a space -filling aura and knows exactly what he wants. He makes his sporting decisions alone. At the end of his FCB period, however, we once had a very interesting exchange, in which he also queried me.
In 2017, after the end of his professional career in Munich, Uli Hoeneß, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and I discussed whether XABI could be directly possible for the role of the sports director. We agreed that I should have a preliminary discussion with Xabi in order to discuss the idea, not offered with him. Xabi was surprised and felt honored, but he definitely wanted to take a one -year break and then decide whether his further way leads him towards the sports director or coach. And my assessment was also interested in that.
Well, he already tended towards the trainer and then wanted to learn this job from the pike. He also implemented this with his stations as a youth coach at Real Madrid and the second team of San Sebastián. We then exchanged some thoughts about it. There was then a topic in the conversation that has shown its character and special football thinking.
He had economically very lucrative offers from exotic countries to continue his player career. However, this was simply out of the question for him. He said: “No, that’s not my football!” This documents how he ticks. Xabi is a very fine person who lives according to clear principles and also deals very respectfully with other people. Another reason why he is in Leverkusen is worshiped.
As a player, he also passed on his experience to Joshua Kimmich, whom they brought to Munich in 2015 as a perspective successor to Xabi Alonso. He is now captain of the national team and is also considered the upcoming captain of FC Bayern. What would it mean if he should ultimately decide against an extension of his expiring contract?