I'm not trying to beat up on Xabi, as I clearly would have been happy with the appointment, but there's a lot of revisionism going on with him.
Yes, he's done great things with Leverkusen. He seems like he has all the tools to be a really great manager at a higher level. He's a former Liverpool player who likes the city, the supporters generally have favorable opinions of, and probably more importantly understands what the club/city ethos is. But I think there are some clear things that have to be strikes against him.
For me the following issues I have are
- No matter what, at some point, he's always going to look to the Real job. Maybe that's part of everyone's mindset. Maybe it's part of who they get, but I'm not a fan of it. A manager isn't chained to a job forever... but I don't want to feel like as long as he would have been here, a month or so of bad form for Madrid and we might have to brace ourselves for a guy jumping ship.
- His European experience is a question mark for me. Yeah, he's doing ok here, but that's still going to be there
- His experience in general isn't deep. Has he even struggled a bit? Can he come walk into a room with players who have won a lot, played for a legend and handle it?
- Tactically, I don't know if what is here matches what Xabi wants to do. Sure, new managers get their players. I think some of the players here could fit what he wants to do. But does it need to be 2-3 seasons of change to get there?
- How much of success is hitting the right notes, but also seeing rivals take steps back? How much of it is his managing? How much of it is a club that wasn't that bad... and players who are probably not THAT good. Some of the off the pitch transfers have to get a lot of credit as well.
He still would likely be my first choice, all things considered. But there were warts to the appointment that were not there at all with Klopp. Note, many, many of these are even more applicable to others.
I think there's a quota system in the league.
Might have to pay an import tax. Or one up the road get replaced with Southgate. Or Moyes. I hear he's gonna be available.