Bad news first. Always bad news first. The FA Cup final was lost. No trophy. No confirmation of European football. No complaints because it was such a special goal which won it for Manchester City, even if there were a few penalty claims at Wembley Stadium. It happens.
The good news? Xabi Alonso is on his way. July 1, the start date. Four years, the contract. ‘Manager’ rather than ‘head coach’ – making him the first to have that title written into his contract since Jose Mourinho’s second spell at the club in 2013.
It was Chelsea’s two co-sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, who personally informed the players before writing and releasing their statement. Hardly the worst pick-me-up to have in your back pocket after being beaten in a final. A dopamine hit of an update.
Winstanley had been down by the tunnel at Wembley, making sure nobody cheated tradition by trying to head for the confines of the changing room after collecting their runners-up medal.
Joe Shields, another one of their five sporting directors, was stood on the pitch with the squad, in deep conversation with club captain Reece James, as they watched City lift their trophy.
Creating the correct culture is important and in Alonso, Chelsea see someone capable of overseeing that amid internal recognition that it is an area for addressing. He has that aura, born out of his c.v. as a player and a coach.
In Xabi Alonso, Chelsea see someone with an aura born out of his c.v. as a player and a coach
The Spaniard’s success at Bayer Leverkusen was historic, leading them to their first ever Bundesliga title as the ‘Invincibles’ alongside winning the DFB-Pokal
Alonso’s success at Bayer Leverkusen was historic, leading them to their first ever Bundesliga title as the ‘Invincibles’ alongside winning the DFB-Pokal. That took more than tactics. It required the correct culture from within, an elite environment as a platform.
Even his experience of the madhouse that is Real Madrid, where he was harshly sacked after seven months, will help now that he is tasked with improving slipping standards inside Chelsea.
The fact that Alonso has been handed his specific job title is more significant than it may initially seem. It was Chelsea’s idea to have him be their ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’. He is the first boss under BlueCo to receive that title, intended as a way to underline to Alonso how valued he is and reassure him of the say he will have in club calls.
That includes on any and all transfers, in and out. Such assurances were believed to have been relayed to Alonso via his camp – he is represented by Inaki Ibanez, who also reps Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth boss who was another candidate seriously considered – before Chelsea even had the 44-year-old Spaniard himself in the room to kickstart in-person conversations.
While Chelsea have their ‘untouchables’ – Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro are chiefly among them – we can anticipate a whirlwind first window under Alonso this summer.
Per sources, they want to sign up to three ready-made players while selling those they consider surplus, with Alonso to be at the heart of it all. He has been told he will be an equal partner to the sporting directorship team and ownership, led by the hands-on Behdad Eghbali.
He will have his say – more than Liam Rosenior, Enzo Maresca, Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter ever had – and is said to have impressed while speaking of signing ‘mentality monsters’. Chelsea are prepared to show greater flexibility towards the ages of players brought in.
The initial idea, according to one insider, is to be seriously challenging for the Premier League title within three seasons if not sooner. That same source has claimed Chelsea were wary of a potential vacancy opening up at Liverpool throughout their process, despite the insistence around Anfield that Arne Slot is staying put this summer.
That may explain why Chelsea have announced Alonso now when the initial idea was to wait until the season’s end.
Chelsea want to sign up to three ready-made players this summer while selling those they consider surplus, with Alonso to be at the heart of all of their business
Even Alonso’s experience of the madhouse that is Real Madrid, where he was harshly sacked after seven months, will help now that he is tasked with improving slipping standards inside Chelsea
While Alonso is not slated to start work officially until July 1, he will be working unofficially, of course he will. He will not be twiddling thumbs, sitting on a sun lounger, wondering whether factor 50 will be sufficient for when their pre-season tour begins in Sydney, Australia after the World Cup. Planning for the next season will take place in the meantime. Studying. Scouting.
He will not be involved in first-team affairs for their final two fixtures versus Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland is all. Calum McFarlane will remain in interim charge as they aim to finish high enough in the Premier League to qualify for some form of European football.
Even if Thursday football is not what Chelsea ultimately want, Alonso is willing to entertain that while working towards his Tuesdays and Wednesdays being tied up in the Champions League.
McFarlane has already switched to 3-4-2-1 – Alonso’s favoured formation from Leverkusen – which is helpful for the new manager. He can use it to see who suits which position, and who does not, even if he is not only wedded to this singular system.
McFarlane’s Chelsea troubled Liverpool last weekend in the Premier League using it, and City in the FA Cup final until Antoine Semenyo’s fabulous finish. McFarlane may continue working with the first team under Alonso, though the exact set-up of the backroom staff is still being finalised. Nothing unusual with that – such arrangements tend to be addressed after the manager.
Chelsea sources say their hiring of Alonso is evidence of their ‘evolution’, and that they have learned lessons and acknowledge mistakes have been made amid fan anger.
Rosenior was a harsh lesson. He signed a six-and-a-half year contract in January, and was taken away from BlueCo’s sister club Strasbourg, where he was doing well. His April exit can only go down as an expensive error. It was a job too big, too soon.
The players were accused of ‘downing tools’ in order to get rid of Rosenior, suffering six successive league losses without scoring for the first time since 1912, and so Chelsea have now opted for a significant shift, in stature and remit.
From Rosenior to Alonso, this is considered a coup, and he soon emerged as the preferred option after initial talks were held. He is expected to hold an unveiling press conference in July once he has had time to explain his ideas to players and staff before reiterating them publicly.
Ask Chelsea insiders why they chose Alonso – and why he chose them – and you will receive a selection of buzzwords in return. ‘Character’, ‘integrity’, ‘discipline’ and ‘leadership’ are among them. Some of those were mentioned in the official statement, too.
Chelsea were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Man City in Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley
Liam Rosenior’s April exit can only go down as an expensive error. It was a job too big, too soon
Break it all down and the bottom line is: Chelsea want to win, and Alonso wants to win. Indeed, insiders on Saturday night went as far as insisting they consider that their entire purpose for existing.
Alonso is said to have been perfectly happy of a collaborative approach alongside his hierarchy, as is the modern way. The inside belief is that they have a talented core with which they can get to work, and that they are not a million miles from competing for major honours.
Alonso won big trophies, both as a player and a manager, is relatively young at 44, and Chelsea considered how he projects a consistently calm, intelligent and disciplined style as a leader. They likewise learned from his interviews that he is a strong communicator who commands respect.
Of course, ‘stability’ is another word that crops up amid conversations with Chelsea as to why they landed on Alonso, and that was also mentioned when previous head coaches were appointed. This time, though, it feels different. A game changer, almost.
