Rummenigge wants Xabi Alonso to join Bayern’s coaching staff

Xabi Alonso could eventually be making a return to Bayern Munich in a coaching capacity. The former Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Spain midfielder has just completed his first season of coaching Madrid’s U13’s by winning the Division de Honor Juvenil title at the end of March. His side finished with an impressive record of 22 wins and 1 draw en route to their title and Alonso’s first season as a manager was a great success.

Per a report captured by Az, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge would like to see Alonso return to Munich at some point to step in to a coaching role. Rummenigge described the Spaniard as “One personality, one guy, one of whom I wish that one day he will return to FC Bayern a true gentleman. He was the smartest and best strategist [at Bayern].” During his three-year stint with Bayern, Alonso helped the club secure three Bundesliga titles and a DFB-Pokal title and was a solid presence in the middle of the park with his impeccable passing and vision.

BFW Analysis: A Good Coaching Fit?

There’s no questioning the fact that Alonso is loved and revered in Munich, but would he be a good coach for one of Bayern’s academy sides, or perhaps even the reserves? Albiet a U13 side, finishing your first managerial season with 22 wins and 1 draw is nothing short of impressive and that certainly bolsters Alonso’s prospects.

If he were to step in at a coaching capacity at Bayern, it’s safe to assume that he would receive the luxury of a bit of a honeymoon period when he first takes charge, especially if things dont start out well. He knows the culture at Bayern, speaks multiple languages, and has played in different systems throughout his career, so his understanding of the game and ability to adapt to different playing styles gives him a diverse ability to find what works best with any given collective group of players.

A true professional both off and on the pitch, Alonso is also a beacon of what it means to be a genuine person and a role model to young kids coming up in youth systems. Attitude is just as important as playing ability and it’s important to mold minds the right way to help them progress and develop both mentally and emotionally in increasingly demanding environments. It’s hard to not see Alonso being a perfect fit for a coaching role at Bayern, because, quite frankly, he checks all of the boxes.

While Alonso would be a perfect coaching fit at Bayern, timing is of the essence. Real Madrid have already expressed interest in promoting Alonso to an older age group at “La Fábrica” to move him up the coaching ladder and Real Sociedad have also expressed interest in bringing Alonso back to coach at the club where he played as a boy, working his way through the youth system and eventually broke through to the first team.

For Bayern, it might be in their best interest to see how he does in another coaching role for another season or two, but they do risk the possibility of him accepting a more permanent role at Sociedad if they don’t pull the trigger and try to bring him to Munich. Hopefully, regardless of what happens in the near future, Alonso will return to Munich at least someday.

(Photo by Simon Hofmann/Bundesliga/DFL via Getty Images)