Steve Nicol and Don Hutchison have both emphatically dismissed one possible alternative to Xabi Alonso in terms of replacing Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager.
The two former Reds were speaking on ESPN FC when a viewer posed the question as to whether they’d be angry if the club missed out on the Bayer Leverkusen boss and hired Thomas Tuchel instead.
Upon hearing the 50-year-old’s name, Nicol instantly replied: “Oh no. I wouldn’t be happy. Have you seen Bayern play this year?”. When the presenter alongside him replied in the affirmative, the Scotsman shot back: “There you go. That’s all you need.”
Hutchison is also dead set against any notion of the Bayern Munich boss taking over at Liverpool, saying: “No chance. He’d be 10th on the list, at best.”
Somewhat ironically, the Reds’ chances of appointing Alonso could be complicated by the Bavarians’ reported interest in Alonso if they were to dispense with Tuchel, who’s come under increasing pressure after a damaging run of three successive defeats this month.
The 50-year-old may have led Chelsea to an improbable Champions League triumph in 2021, but he’d seem like someone for whom LFC would settle rather than desperately want, whereas the Leverkusen boss appears to be the firm favourite to take over from Klopp.
Right now, it seems that anyone other than the Spaniard would represent an underwhelming appointment.
You can view the ex-Liverpool duo’s comments on Tuchel below (from 1:18), via ESPN FC on YouTube:
Too much expectation on Xabi’s young shoulders. He should get more experience. Same for SG8.