Kicker denies Bild report that Xabi Alonso will be named new Gladbach coach
Despite rumors that Xabi Alonso is set to take over as Gladbach coach, Kicker now insists that the 39-year-old will not succeed Dortmund-bound Marco Rose at Borussia-Park.
Kicker is reporting that Xabi Alonso will not succeed Marco Rose as Gladbach coach after all, contradicting a report from Bild, who claimed on Monday that the Bundesliga side had reached an agreement with the former Spanish international.
Bild later engaged in a slight walk-back of the Alonso story, reporting that there is at least one other candidate for the job.
According to Kicker, Gladbach and Alonso were indeed in contact, but their discussions never entered an advanced phase, and the 39-year-old is not the club's preferred candidate.
Per the report, Gladbach are making progress in their search for a new coach – but it won't be Alonso.
"I have already started looking and have been working intensively on finding a new coach in the last three weeks," Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl told ZDF earlier this month.
"I have had very, very many and good conversations. I am on a good path. We lined up a number of candidates, with which we have dealt. We are already on the home stretch with this focus of ours - we have a clear plan."