After leading Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented domestic double, head coach Xabi Alonso turned down offers from interested clubs and decided to stay for challenges ahead.
By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Xabi Alonso kept an eye on his players and appeared like a caring father standing next to a children's playground ready to step in, in case things got too wild.
Of course, there was no reason to step in while Bayer Leverkusen's heroes couldn't get enough lifting the trophy of the German Cup enthusiastically in the air on the celebration stage while the Spanish coach remained in standby mode some meters away.
One more cheer seemed the motto for the team that finished both Bundesliga and German Cup campaigns with 53 unbeaten games, only failing to win the Europa League final against Atalanta on Wednesday night.
While Leverkusen added the German Cup to their portfolio after a tight final in Berlin's Olympic stadium against second-division side 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Alonso seemed filled with pride and might have thought about what was next for the club and him.
The two-time Champions League winner has led Leverkusen to new shores, coming along with growing expectations when it comes to the future.
"We don't think about the future right now. Maybe tomorrow. Today I am just proud of what the team has achieved," the former Spain international said ahead of this Sunday's opulent celebrations in the streets of Leverkusen.
"He is going to win many trophies as a coach as he has harvested experience as a player and is about to gain experience as a coach," said Kaiserslautern's coaching icon, 70-year-old Friedhelm Funkel.
While Alonso harvested his first titles as a coach, he seems aware of the challenges ahead. To confirm his success seems as important for the club as it is for him.
Over the past weeks, the coaching rookie was one of European football's most courted coaches as offers dropped by the minute. Before taking the reins at Leverkusen, Alonso served as coach of Real Madrid's youth team and the second team of Real Sociedad.
The Spaniard earned respect and appreciation for his decision not to leave and grab one of the tempting offers from top European sides, instead opting to stay at Leverkusen and guide the side to a new level.
Alonso passed an important exam when restoring his team's faith after having lost the Europa League final, his team's only defeat this season.
It seems more than a bold guess that Alonso will be turning up as the coach of several European top sides over the next years.
The man who ruled the midfield as a player slipping into the role of the overall dominating force has opened doors to a brilliant career.
Cautiously taking Leverkusen to the club's first national title in an unprecedented season campaign makes him turn into the big winner.
"We care about the future in a few days. I need a break and a vacation," the Bayer coach admitted and announced to celebrate the current success with "German beer" before turning his head to the challenging future. ■
