How Xabi Alonso Will TRANSFORM Chelsea.

Huge news, huge news for us to dissect.And I'm terribly sorry for the delay.Painfully, I was at the FA Cup Final yesterday.Wonderful occasion.Truly, truly awe -inspiring.The FA Cup Final, it's magical.

But it's also incredibly painful when you lose.However, the pain of losing that Cup Final has been mitigated slightly because Chelsea have appointed an elite -level manager.We have finally made a massive decision.This is huge.Like, this is...

Perfect.This is about as perfect as it could possibly be.And I can't actually believe it.I can't believe that I'm saying these words.Xabi Alonso is the Chelsea manager.We have appointed a man who is a proven winner.

We have appointed a man who was undoubtedly an elite level player.We have appointed somebody who will be awe -inspiring.We have appointed somebody who will have standards.When you see Xabi Alonso standing on the sideline, it will elevate you.The standards will be now non -negotiable.This is exactly what Chelsea need.

This is the perfect appointment.And for the first time in a long time, I'm going to have to say, the ownership here have got it right.I am over the moon with this appointment.Now, before it was announced, I said there was no chance that Chelsea would get Xabi Alonso.I said that Xabi Alonso and his agent would be using the noise around Chelsea to try and motivate Liverpool into making a decision regarding the future of Arnaut Slot.And I was right.

And I stand by what I said.And the reason I was right is because under the parameters that Chelsea usually operate, there is no way that we would have got Alonso.When Chelsea do what Chelsea do under this ownership, there is no way that Alonso would have considered being the Chelsea manager.So everything that we know about Bluco, everything that we've learned about the history of Bluco, everything that we know about Boli and Iqbali, there is no way that Xavi Alonso would work for them unless they change their model.And what can we glean from the presser?What can we glean from the presser?

of Xabi Alonso as Chelsea manager?And I choose my words very carefully here because Xabi Alonso has been announced as Chelsea manager.

This is a change of direction.This is brilliant news.This hasn't been done before under this ownership.Chelsea have not had a manager under this ownership since these guys came in.Every single manager that got the role, if you look at the presser, they were referred to as head coach.We've only had head coaches.

We have never had a manager.Liam Rossini gets a job, he is announced as Chelsea's head coach.Graham Potter gets a job, he is announced as Chelsea's head coach.We never ever appoint an actual manager.Whereas, What we have done here is, we have given Alonso the reigns.We have given him the title that he deserves.

And we have given him the title of manager.Graham Potts came in from Brighton.Enzo Maresca came in from Leicester.Liam Rossini came in, he was already a company man.He came in from Strasbourg.All underwhelming.

All with jeopardy.All lucky to be in the job.All ready to bend to the will of the sporting directors and the owners.That's not going to be the case.We have appointed a man who is the former Real Madrid manager.He was invincible with Bayer Leverkusen in practically a one team league.

What he did at Leverkusen demonstrates his elite level ability.Winning the league in Germany with anyone other than Bayern Munich is something to be celebrated.And it's so important to acknowledge what Chelsea have done here.Every single previous manager was called a head coach.Like the fact that we have gone to Orlando and for the first time in Bluecoats history at Chelsea, we have given him the recognition of seniority.We have said that you are a manager.

This to me proves thatthere is a different message going out.There is, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed here, an announcement.As much as this is an announcement about the manager, there is an announcement about the direction of Chelsea.Chelsea are no longer a team that are managed by a head coach, potentially a team that will only sign young players, a team that will sign players that aren't even for the furtherance of the team.Alejandro Garnacho was signed not because we needed him, he was signed and the wording was he was a market opportunity.

That will not happen under this ownership.I think that this managerial appointment is actually an admission from Bluco that they have got it wrong time and time and time again.I think this is an admission that everything that they have done previously has been incorrect and I think it's an admission that going forward they will be employing a completely different strategy.Now this is huge, this is huge because look Chelsea fans have been protesting passionately about the ownership, wanting a new ownership.Now that feels difficult, not impossible but difficult.What can happen though if the ownership change their model, that will do.

That will certainly help if we no longer employ this ridiculous money -first attitude.If we suddenly prioritise, call me old -fashioned, but the owners of the football club prioritise the football team.Who'd have thought it?If that is going to happen here, and I think it will because I don't think Alonso will take the job if he didn't have certain assurances, I think that we will immediately, immediately see a change.There is no doubt in my mind that Alonso won't insist on signing players with experience.This isn't going to be a David Datro Fafana, Mark Giu, Liam De Lappe, David Washington kind of transfer window.

This isn't going to be a Jamie Gittins, Renato Vega, Benoit Badia -Chillet type of transfer window.I think that Xabi Alonso will be coming in.It's not an easy job.

He will be coming in and he will be looking around at the vast majority of the players in the squad and he will think they're not up to standard.He will look at them and the standards that he knows.Think about the player he was, Alonso, my God.Like, he was at the epicentre.of a Liverpool team in which Chelsea had a big rivalry.It was a beautiful rivalry.

I love it.I loved the rivalry.You know, whenever I'm lucky enough to talk to Jamie Carragher, all I really want to do is pepper him with questions about that era.I just want to drive him mad.And I feel sorry for him.Because if I ever end up in a pub with him, all I'm going to do is peck his head about, mate, what was it like when this happened?

What was it like when Drogba did the knee slide in front of Mourinho?in front of Benitez.What was it like when Chelsea went up to Anfield and Bratislava Vanovic scored those goals?What was it like when Dirk Kuyt scored?I just found that team and that rivalry brilliant, right?The hatred, the antipathy, the hostility between the two clubs was unreal.

It's something that I cannot even, I'm not articulate enough to tell you about.The hostility going to Anfield as a Chelsea fan, 20 years ago, when I was going every week, heavy.And I'm sure they would extend a similar courtesy.I'm sure it wasn't fun for them to come to Stamford Bridge.

Some of the songs that were sung, their song about John Terry's mum, we didn't behave well.It was hatred.And I'm telling you this to demonstrate quite how brilliant a footballer Xabi Alonso was, even in the period where Chelsea and Liverpool were massive rivals.And I was going and I was there and I was feeling the worst I've ever felt in a football stadium in my entire life.After that, Luis Garcia goal, even I thought he was mustard.I loved watching him play Xavi Alonso.

The standards that he will set, the standards that he knows, he's going to look at this squad and it will not be good enough.And he is therefore going to insist that these owners give him some money to buy some equipment.proper footballers.Think how good he was a long time ago.You know that ball into the feet, bang into Torres, bang into Gerrard, bang.Like played it, whipped it in.

Such a beautiful footballer.An elite, an elite man, an elite intelligent gift.Like somebody of his class belongs at Chelsea.Somebody of his class belongs on the Kings Road.Suave, elegant, debonair, intelligent.It's the intelligence I love.

You know if you ask him a question in English, a presser, he answers the question in English.You know if you ask him a question in Spanish, he answers it in Spanish.You know if you ask him a question in German, he answers it in German.You know just that quality, that intelligent courtesy.Just think it's brilliant.This is such a good appointment.

This is exactly what we need.Finally, at Chelsea Football Club, we are going to have standards.Standards will be met because of Xabi Alonso.A change of direction and standards.This is just glorious.

I can't believe the day after losing a cup final, with a fairly significant hangover, I'm feeling this good.This is just perfect.Anybody at Chelsea that hasn't been as respectful as they should, the office of Chelsea manager needs to be respected by the players, doesn't it?So whatever you think of Liam Rossinia, if he's your boss at Chelsea, you have to respect him.That didn't happen.That didn't happen.

Didn't they call him a supply teacher?Weren't they laughing at him?We saw a lot coming out of the club.So the players did not respect the office of Chelsea manager when Liam Rossini was there.In fact, didn't these same players call Graham Potter Harry Potter?Again, they didn't give him the respect that he deserves because he was Chelsea manager.

Not away from that.But if you are an employee of Chelsea, respect the manager.It's basic.You won't be getting away with that.You won't be calling Xabi Alonso Harry Potter.You will not get away with calling him a substitute teacher because

good you think you are, he's better.Oh Enzo Fernandez won a World Cup.So did Alonso.Bang.Put that in your pipe and smoke it.Oh yeah yeah you think you're this good because you won what?

The Club World Cup?Yeah he won it.He won what?Two Champions Leagues?Like this is serious.Look at the CV.

Liverpool.Elite.Real Madrid?He was at Real Madrid for five years?Bayern Munich?play for rare old Liverpool by Munich.

Biggest club in Spain, biggest club in Germany, arguably biggest club in England.And in the middle of it all, wins a World Cup.In the middle of it all, wins back -to -back Euros, World Cup in the middle of...Mental.Mate, this is so good.This is absolutely brilliant.

This is just proper.This is a proper person.A proper person taking over at Chelsea for the first time since Tuchel.For the first time since Tuchel, we've got somebody proper and Anyone, anyone at the club now who doesn't understand what the standards are supposed to be is going to be gone.He's going to be gone.Because Alonso, what he has done in management is incredible.

Like what he did at Leverkusen was insane.But look at his win record at Real Madrid.It's unreal.Like the other day I saw Rathford scoring, right, when Olivia Rodrigo was on the kits.Didn't think I knew who that was, did you, huh?Barcelona battered Real Madrid, obviously, right?

Win the league.You know in the corresponding fixture when Alonso was manager, Real beat him.Everybody's saying that it went wrong for him.It didn't go wrong for him.It's that the club are in disarray.Look at what's happened since he's left.

Since he's left, they've got worse and worse and worse.Alba Loa, it's gone mad.You've got Valverde, Vinicius Junior and Mbappé, they all hate each other.It's a shambles.Xavi Alonso was steering that ship in a very admirable way.And then you think about what he will do from here.

Think about what he will want to do.Because that Florentino Perez, prematurely sacked him, man.This ship has gone mad.But we've got him.It's a coup.It's unreal.

Think about the managers that he worked for.And he will be able to cherry pick all of the best bits from all of the managers that he worked for.Played under Pep Guardiola.Pep Guardiola, a meticulous, fastidious man.Alonso can borrow that.Played under Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho's will to win.His unbelievable desire to find victory.He will be able to borrow that.Played under Carlo Ancelotti.A serial European Cup winner, Carlo Ancelotti.Arguably, the greatest manager of all time.

Not in my opinion, but arguably.Won the league in every country of the five big leagues in Europe.Mental.Worked under him.He was a Spain manager.Del Bosque.

Oh my God.Oh my God.Obviously, I don't even want to say this, but Rafael Benitez is in a mug.You know what I mean?You look at what he did in Spain, you look at what he did in Liverpool, he's not a mug.Worked under him.

And if Xabi Alonso can borrow from all of those managers, he's going to be a fine, fine manager.And I tell you what, it's such a good time to come to the Premier League because the old guard that had dominance over it at various points, it doesn't feel like that anymore.Like Guardiola, I think, is going to leave.It effectively opens a door.If he becomes Chelsea manager with Arnaud Slott at Liverpool in a year where maybe Mikel Arteta wins the league, Enzo Maresco could easily be the Man City manager, Michael Carrick Manchester United manager, is there a world where I can say this and it be true?Xabi Alonso will arrive in the Premier League and be the best manager in the Premier League.

Obviously it's untried but in terms of what he has done already, I think it's fair to say he's a better manager than Carrick.I think it's fair to saythat he's a better manager I mean Arteta could impact that depending on how it goes but I think it's fair to say he's a better manager than Maresca I think it's fair to say that he's a better manager than Slott if you look how badly it's going for Slott suddenly is he arriving to be the best manager you know obviously if Mikel Arteta wins a league if Mikel Arteta wins a league which he's probably going to almost definitely going to obviously it's probably him But all of a sudden, Alonso arrives, and it doesn't feel like a close shot.

You know at various points in the Premier League, it was a terrible time to arrive, because Arsene Wenger had a grip on it, or Ferguson had a grip on it, or obviously there was a period where Klopp had a grip on it, or Guardiola.

This doesn't feel like that.This feels like it's a little bit of a free hit, it's a little bit open season.Predicting who's going to win the Premier League next year, it doesn't feel like it's just a tap -in, like it was a few years ago.You just go, Liverpool are going to win the league.Or you go, Man City are going to win the league.Decade before that, Chelsea are going to win the league.

Little bit before that, Man United are going to win the league.It isn't like that.Who's going to win the league next year?Does Oteto retain a Premier League?Does Mureska land at City, win it straight away?Does Xabi Alonso?

We'll see.This is great news anyway.Really, really brilliant news.Because not only have we brought in an elite manager, but I think it signifies a change in direction from Chelsea Football Club.I think Blueco must have realised that they've made a pig's ear of everything since they've been at the club.And maybe now, They hold their hands up, they say, Mea culpa.

It's not difficult.It's not rocket science.Sign elite players.Bring in an elite manager.Compete for elite trophies.Two and two very often does make a Christmas cake.

I'll leave you with that.Let me know your thoughts, man. I really do want to hear them.Gonna be in the comments the second this video goes live.And, yeah, let me know what you think.If you've enjoyed it, please give it a like.Please do click subscribe.

It would really help me out if you would be kind enough.And let's have a chat in the comments.

See you in a bit.Ta -ra.