I was surprised to a point with Xabi Alonso taking the job on in the sense that I’m sure he would have other options if he was to bide his time and stay put.
I know Chelsea are going through a period not necessarily linked to the vast success they had during the Roman Abramovich era, and there is a transition away from that era, but they are still one of European football’s iconic clubs.
When the opportunity comes to join a club of that size, certainly one in London in the Premier League, I think managers like Alonso would be silly to just disregard and dismiss it.
There is going to be a surprise he’s taken this job given his standing in the game and the job he did at Bayer Leverkusen and the facts he’s one of the most exciting young managers in European football.
If Chelsea can give him the control he wants in terms of recruitment and other areas of the club then they have got a really good manager there now.
What time has told us in the era under the American ownership is that the head coach doesn’t generally have much control over recruitment and the footballing operation. What is pertinent here is that Alonso has been given the title of manager instead of head coach.
That might be a symbolic gesture but I think it indicates that the ownership are willing to give Alonso a greater say in how the club is run from a football perspective, but also almost certainly in regards to recruitment.
The bottom line for him in his first season will be to qualify for the Champions League. In terms of the way Chelsea are set up financially, and what they spend in the transfer market, they require the financial input that Champions League football brings.