'I played for Liverpool and coached Chelsea - hiring Xabi Alonso is not a good idea'
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesXabi AlonsoFormer Liverpool and Chelsea player Bolo Zenden has moved to talk down suggestions that Xabi Alonso would be the ideal man to take over at Stamford Bridge this summerXabi Alonso during his short spell at Real Madrid.(Image: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)Former Liverpool and Netherlands winger Bolo Zenden has urged caution over Xabi Alonso and a potential move to Chelsea this summer, with the Stamford Bridge side on the hunt for a new head coach.This weekend, Chelsea will play Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup final, with interim boss Calum McFarlane at the helm. With few other major jobs around Europe likely to be available, the Spaniard may not have many options to choose from beyond Chelsea.READ MORE: Joe Gomez makes admission on Liverpool future ahead of summer transfer windowREAD MORE: Jamie Carragher makes Xabi Alonso to Liverpool prediction amid Chelsea talks - 'I'm sure he would'"I’d be cautious about Xabi Alonso to Chelsea," Zenden told Boyle Sports.
"I’m not sure it’s a good idea and I think you have to take a few things in mind."First of all, he has a history with Liverpool and he’s not been a manager in England yet. Now, I remember when I was assistant coach to Rafa Benitez when he joined Chelsea.
He was a manager there and not a player so it might be slightly different, but I’d be cautious.Xabi Alonso has been strongly linked with Chelsea job(Image: FADEL SENNA, AFP via Getty Images)"The other thing is when he was at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso, there obviously was some criticism that he couldn't really cope with the star attitudes from certain players."And I think he was used to managing in Germany where the players are more likely to follow the manager, whereas when he was at Madrid, some just played their own game."How will that be at Chelsea if there are some bigger names on the bench and not playing in Europe? If there is no vacancy at Liverpool and he isn't going to join Manchester United, Chelsea might be the only option left on the table.Manchester City might be another club in need of a new boss should Pep Guardiola leave, but there is no guarantee of that, and Maresca has been put forward as the most likely candidate at the Etihad Stadium.Liverpool.com says: It is hard to imagine anyone taking the job at Chelsea in some ways.