Xabi Alonso will be hoping to hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge with the Chelsea manager fully aware of the pressure that comes with being Blues boss
Glen Johnson believes Xabi Alonso is the right man to end Chelsea’s managerial merry-go-round and called on his former club to give him at least two seasons to prove his worth at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso will become BlueCo’s sixth permanent manager/head coach (the ownership group’s fifth appointment) when he begins his role on July 1, signing a four-year contract. Liam Rosenior, though, penned a six-and-a-half-year deal with the club but was brutally sacked from his role less than four months after being appointed.
Chelsea are hoping they have finally found their long-term on-pitch leader and the club are prepared to give Alonso the keys. The Spaniard will be given more power and control when it comes to the transfer strategy, sources say, with the west Londoners facing an enormous summer as far as recruitment is concerned.
Johnson, formerly of Chelsea, has called on his old club to show some patience with Alonso and give him at least two seasons before making a decision on his future. The former Blues right-back cited newly-crowned Premier League champions Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta as the perfect example of patience paying off.
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“I think Xabi Alonso is a great appointment for Chelsea,” said Johnson to football.london, courtesy of LiveFootballTickets. “He is someone who the players will respect on both a playing and managerial level, which this squad definitely needed. He will command the respect of the dressing room, and I hope that the club gives him time.
“The Chelsea job has been one of the hottest managerial seats in world football for far too long now, and I think Xabi could be the one to change that. I appreciate the club wanting to see success quickly, but sometimes time benefits clubs in the long run. Look at Arsenal now – there were plenty of people calling for Mikel Arteta to be sacked over the last few years, and now they are Premier League winners under his guidance.
“Chelsea have been so close to being a brilliant team over the past few years. I hope they give Xabi at least a couple of seasons to prove that he can take this squad back to contending again.”
Alonso and Chelsea are hoping to keep Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge beyond the summer. However, the Blues will not stand in their way if a £120million offer comes in for the Real Madrid target. The question is: will anyone be willing to pay that for the 25-year-old?
Fernandez, sources say, has informed Chelsea of his desire to depart before the start of the new season. Johnson, though, wants the Argentina international to stay put.
He added: “I don’t know Enzo Fernandez personally, but he seems like a big character both in life and in the changing room. I think him being a big character has caused a few problems last season. You can’t be going around saying things in the media and disrespecting the club, especially when he has captained the club for much of last season.
“I think both Enzo and the club need to figure out what they both want long term and deal with it. Chelsea isn’t all about Enzo, and he is a part of the club. Big personalities like Enzo are needed at successful football clubs, but it has to be channelled in the right way to inspire the squad, not disrespect the club.
“He’s a brilliant player and too good a player to let slip away cheaply. I hope he stays at Chelsea and uses his energy in a more positive way under Xabi Alonso.”
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