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As rumors linking Xabi Alonso to the Liverpool coaching job continue to circulate, his former coach, Rafa Benitez, has warned him not to rush into the role.<\/p>\n

With Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, 42-year-old Alonso has emerged as the main contender to take charge.<\/p>\n

However, Benitez, Alonso\u2019s former coach and mentor, has cautioned him about the potential pitfalls of accepting such a prestigious and demanding job.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a big name, good professional, good lad, clever, doing really well with Leverkusen so I understand why [Alonso is being linked],\u201d Benitez told The Times.<\/p>\n

\u201c[But] imagine that Steven Gerrard could be around and doing well. Then it would be \u2018Gerrard!\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the potential to be a very good manager and if he has good players he will be successful, but then can he do it for five years, ten years? I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can go to any top side now but they will be expecting to win the title. And if you finish second, maybe it\u2019s a great season but people will say, \u201cOh, he\u2019s failed\u201d.\u201d<\/p>\n

EPL: Benitez advises Xabi Alonso not to hurry into accepting Liverpool job<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As rumors linking Xabi Alonso to the Liverpool coaching job continue to circulate, his former coach, Rafa Benitez, has warned…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,194,1030,15,160,5356],"tags":[5357,11548,156,719,180,201,5358],"class_list":["post-19837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-benitez","category-epl","category-liverpool","category-news","category-sport","category-xabi-alonso","tag-alonso","tag-benitez","tag-epl","tag-liverpool","tag-news","tag-sport","tag-xabi"],"yoast_head":"\n