Former Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale has shared his thoughts on why Xabi Alonso failed to make a mark at the club before he was dismissed.
Alonso was relieved of his role just eight months after he was appointed. The Spanish coach arrived with a sterling reputation following his historic success at Bayer Leverkusen.
However, he failed to get things going at Madrid with some players in the squad reportedly not pleased with his tactics. Alonso was dismissed after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona and questions are being asked about what went wrong.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Bale provided a candid assessment on Alonso’s spell at Madrid.
According to Bale, Alonso lacked the skillset required to succeed at Real Madrid, a skill that is fundamentally different from almost any other club in world football.
Xabi Alonso during the LaLiga match between Deportivo Alavés and Real Madrid CF. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“He is an incredible coach,” Bale said. “He has won what he has won at Bayer Leverkusen, he has won trophies, he has coached the team incredibly well. But when you get to Real Madrid, you don’t need to be a coach, you need to be a manager.”
With Madrid known for having big names in their squad, Bale believe these players do not require micromanagement; they require a delicate touch.
“You need to manage the egos in the dressing room,” Bale explained. “You have to pamper the egos.”
Bale went further, suggesting that tactical obsession can actually be a hindrance at Madrid.
The Welshman’s philosophy is that with such an abundance of world-class talent, the game plan should be relatively simple: put the best players on the pitch and let them win the game.
“You don’t need to do so many tactical things,” Bale asserted. “In the dressing room there are superstars who can change matches in the blink of an eye. So, yes, you can tell he [Alonso] is a great coach and tactician, but at Madrid, obviously, it didn’t work.”.
Real Madrid have since began a new era under Alvaro Arbeloa. Though the Spaniard started his tenure with a shock 3-2 Copa del Rey defeat, they have bounced back with two comfortable wins, a 2-0 victory over Levante in La Liga at the weekend before crushing Monaco 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
