Ferdinand ‘surprised’ at Alonso decision for one reason as new Chelsea manager set ‘first task’
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed why he is “surprised” by Chelsea appointing Xabi Alonso as their new manager.
Over the weekend, it was confirmed that Liverpool legend Alonso has struck a deal with Chelsea to become their new manager ahead of next season.
Interestingly, Alonso has been named Chelsea manager instead of head coach, so he should have more power over transfers than previous bosses have had under BlueCo.
Alonso retains a strong reputation after working wonders at Bayer Leverkusen, and he has been gearing up for a return to management since leaving Real Madrid at the start of this year.
Liverpool initially seemed the natural next step for Alonso, but they could stick with current boss Arne Slot and Chelsea have swooped to appoint the Spaniard instead.
But Ferdinand is “surprised” that Alonso opted against biding his time for the Liverpool job to become available.
“I’m actually surprised he’s gone there. I’m not saying he’s the wrong choice,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel.
READ: Chelsea and Xabi Alonso an ‘odd match’ as Klopp comparison made
“The reason I’m surprised he’s gone there is because I thought he would have been patient enough to wait and see how the Arne Slot situation at Liverpool would play out.
“Ex-Liverpool player, loved the club, always speaks well about the club, and you just think that was a relationship waiting to happen behind the scenes.
“If he’d just sat tight, the way things are going at the moment, the way things are unfolding at Liverpool, surely he’s next in the queue to get that job.
“But Chelsea have acted quickly, they’ve probably put something in front of him with some big numbers as well that has turned his head and he’s just thought, ‘I’m going to go for it!’.
“Or he’s just thought, ‘Do you know what? I can’t just sit here, hope and wait, and be guessing about what’s going to happen at Liverpool if an opportunity like this is here’… it’s a big club, Chelsea.”
READ MORE: Predicting how Xabi Alonso could have Chelsea lining up next season
“Five or six players in that Chelsea team will be seen as not good enough or bad influences…”
A report from Football Insider and ex-Premier League chief scout Mick Brown claims Alonso’s ‘first task’ at Chelsea will be to oversee a ‘six-man exodus’ once he has properly assessed his squad.
“Alonso has a huge job on his hands at Chelsea,” Brown told Football Insider.
“His first job as Chelsea manager is to assess what he’s got in that squad, the good and the bad, and to quickly get rid of the bad influences.
“It’s much easier said than done, but he has to pick through that squad, assess which players he wants to be part of his side, and identify those he will want to get rid of.
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“The way this Chelsea squad has been with managers this season, I would suggest there a fair few players he will want to get rid of when he comes in.
“Five or six players in that Chelsea team will either be seen as not good enough or bad influences, and it’s on Alonso now to assess who those players are.
“He has to root out the negativity and be ruthless with it, it doesn’t matter who the players are or how good they might be, bad attitudes need to be moved on.”
