8 months ago
128 Xabi Alonso is the hot favourite to take over from Jurgen Klopp as manager at the end of the season with the German to step down as Liverpool boss – but Phil Thompson has suggested another name.
Alonso has starred as Leverkusen gaffer and a return to Anfield could appeal to the Spaniard – with his Bayer side unbeaten in all competitions this season, sitting ahead of Bayern in the Bundesliga title race.
Other names have been linked – the likes of Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Lens boss Franck Haise and plenty of others. Meanwhile, assistant manager Pep Ljinders could leave alongside Klopp this summer.
Speaking to TalkSPORT on Monday morning, Liverpool icon Thompson said he would be all for a move that sees Ljinders promoted having worked as Klopp’s assistant since 2018 – instead of gaffer Alonso.
“Pep Lijnders is a fantastic coach. Watch him in training, he is full of it, full of energy and ideas. I would have no problems. If they announced it I would say yes. There must be something else for Pep Lijnders.
Phil Thompson suggests Pep Ljinders as Liverpool manager
“Whatever he does, if he goes with Klopp [or] on his own, I will wish him that best but if he was offered the job I would like to think Pep would have considered it at least,” Thompson said, on Monday morning.
Ljinders has of course been linked with replacing Klopp. Alan Brazil has even claimed that the Liverpool players would like Ljinders to get the gig. But, he has made it clear he won’t be replacing Klopp as boss.
Ljinders has managed before, winning 11 of 22 games in charge of Dutch Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen. It seems unlikely they will hand Ljinders the role without proving himself as a manager in his own right.
The post 'I would say yes': Phil Thompson says Liverpool should hire 'fantastic' 41-year-old instead of Xabi Alonso appeared first on TBR Football.
