Klopp had suggested Alonso was one of the standout candidates to replace him but said on Friday he could appreciate why the Spaniard decided to stay put.
Klopp said: “A young manager being at a club doing well. I did pretty much the same [stayed when first offered the chance to leave] and never regretted it. He is doing a great job there. They have a great team and can keep the team together. I understand why he wants to do that.”
Bayern Munich were also keen on Alonso as they search for a successor to Thomas Tuchel, who will leave the club in the summer.
Alonso’s side are 10 points clear of Bayern with six games remaining, with Leverkusen on the verge of ending the German giants’ 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga trophy.
Alonso added: “My job at Bayer is not over. I want to help the club, help the players to develop, the board is great… it’s all fantastic here. I’m still a young coach but I think this is the best decision for my future. I took my time and I’m sure about that.
“I’m not going to comment about Liverpool or Bayern. These are big clubs and I’ve strong links with them but I’m in the place where I want to be. It’s not time to decide my future now – I want to develop at Bayer Leverkusen.”
It is understood that Alonso feels he owes Leverkusen a debt for backing him with his first senior managerial job, that he wants to take them into the Champions League and also that he fears announcing he would be leaving now might derail a campaign in which they are heading for their first German title.
Real Madrid will also be taking note of his decision to stay given they are interested in him when Carlo Ancelotti eventually leaves.
Klopp: De Zerbi is a top coach
Liverpool have appointed a new sporting director, Richard Hughes, who will take over in June, while Fenway Sports Group have reunited with former sporting director Michael Edwards, who is the American owners’ football chief executive. The pair will be ultimately responsible for selecting a new manager.
The club’s data team is focusing on coaches whose sides are equipped at winning the ball high up the pitch – similar to Klopp – and whose teams will fit the make-up of the squad.
De Zerbi takes Brighton to Anfield this Sunday, with Klopp praising the Italian’s style of play. “It’s difficult to play against them. They are super-dominant, and you cannot do that with no training. You cannot just put the line up on the wall and say ‘that’s how we play’,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work behind that, a lot of convincing the players because he changed a lot. The way the goalie has to play, the way the centre-halves have to start the build up, the way the sixes have to move, the way the 10s move, the wingers, everybody.”
Klopp added: “And yes, that makes him a top coach, because of the influence he had. I met him three times [it is four] and he seems to be a nice guy. That’s all I know about the person, but I saw his football team playing pretty often and I can say that he is a top coach.”
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
