After defeat in Porto
Bayer 04 Leverkusen officially announced on Wednesday evening what had become apparent during the day: Gerardo Seoane is no longer the “Werkself” coach, the 43-year-old Swiss was released one day after the 2-0 defeat in the Champions League in Porto. Former Bayern professional Xabi Alonso takes over from Seoane, returning to Germany for his first coaching position in a top division. The former world-class midfielder has signed a contract until 2024.
Alonso has previous experience as a coach at Real Madrid’s youth team and at his first professional club as a player, Real Sociedad, in the second team. With the Basques, the 40-year-old scored an average of 1.46 points in 98 competitive games. In his first year he was promoted to the second division with “La Real B”, but relegation was certain at the end of last season. Alonso then left the club. A year ago, the world and European champion was linked with a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach, and he confirmed contact with the “foals” in spring 2022.
community
Discuss Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the forum nowRight this way
Bayer sporting director Simon Rolfes praised Alonso in the club announcement as a former player, “who was an absolute world-class professional for many years, an intelligent strategist and extremely successful in three of the most demanding European leagues.” Alonso played alongside Bayern and Real Sociedad also successful for Liverpool FC and Real Madrid, with whom he won the Champions League.
Alonso himself said: “I know Leverkusen from my time in Germany as an excellent club. Bayer 04 have always had great players and I see a lot of quality in the current squad too. In my talks with the club, it quickly became clear that despite the current difficult situation, ambitious goals are still being pursued. I am very excited about this task and I am sure that we will live up to this claim.”
With Potter & Hütter: The most expensive coaches in the world – Bundesliga 5x represented
There were rumors in Leverkusen that Thomas Tuchel, who, according to consistent reports, is said to have rejected a request, Adi Hütter and Domenico Tedesco were traded as possible successors to Seoane.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Rolfes on Seoane: “Unfortunately, we have lost the way to success”
With regard to Seoane, whom Bayer signed from BSC Young Boys in 2021 after three very successful years, Rolfes spoke of the usual mechanisms in professional football without naming them directly: “Gerardo Seoane has done good work for Bayer 04 in the past year and a half achieved, above all through the sovereign qualification for the Champions League. Unfortunately, we have strayed from the road to success. The early exit from the DFB Cup, but in particular the current position in the Bundesliga, which is far below our expectations, made the change of coach absolutely necessary from our point of view.”
After eight games, the “Werkself” is in relegation place 17, it is the weakest start of the Bundesliga season since the introduction of the three-point rule, only in 1982/83 was the “Werkself” worse after eight games. At 1.60 points per game, Seoane’s points average was below the rate of his predecessors Peter Bosz (1.79), Heiko Herrlich (1.72) and Roger Schmidt (1.70) – and that with the fourth most valuable squad in the league behind Bayern, RB Leipzig and BVB.
Fernando Carro, CEO, said: “Gerardo Seoane was held in very high esteem throughout the club, as a coach and as a person. Separation is not easy for us. But in our current situation we see no other option.”
The Spaniard recently admitted possible mistakes in Bayer Leverkusen’s squad planning: “In retrospect, however, you have to admit that a little fresh blood would not have harmed the competition in the squad.” There are contracts from important players like Florian Wirtz , Moussa Diaby and Patrik Schick extended. “However, we have not been able to free up funds through player sales to sign the number of players that we would have liked to bring in.”
#Bayer04 and Gerardo #Seoane go separate ways. World and European Champion @XabiAlonso becomes the new head coach #Werkself.
All info https://t.co/afQxgZs8t1
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) October 5, 2022
To home page