I was convinced about Xabi Alonso from the start - most people can't believe what he's about to do
Dirk Kuyt says he is not surprised by Xabi Alonso's sudden rise as a manager and urged his former Liverpool colleague to grasp any offer to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Kuyt played with Alonso for three years at Anfield before the latter made a £30m move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 and the former Netherlands international says his ex-team-mate was always destined to become a coach.
Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen currently hold a 10-point advantage at the top of the Bundesliga and are involved in the last eight of the Europa League where they will meet West Ham United before a potential semi-final with either Roma or AC Milan.
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Kuyt says Alonso was always studying the game during their time together at Liverpool and that marked him out as a natural fit for management.
In a chat with the ECHO ahead of Saturday's legends' match with Ajax, Kuyt said: "Well, you know, if you look at former team-mates and players, sometimes you doubt they can become a coach and then you see them doing really well in a management job. But, for Xabi, I think in my mind definitely he was like a future coach.
"I followed him and the steps he made in his career. I think he did very steady to manage a couple of U23s teams but then he had his first opportunity at Bayer Leverkusen and I think it was the right step.
"It is down to him that he has brought them to the next level because suddenly he is challenging for the league title in Germany and that is something that is very special because for the last few years Bayern Munich was always up there and
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