Xabi Alonso has revealed he raised concerns about Chelsea’s project before agreeing to become manager, but was convinced after discovering the club shared his assessment of what needed to change.
The project is now centred on building a stronger dressing-room culture, with the Spaniard insisting team spirit is just as important as tactics.
Speaking to Simon Johnson of The Athletic, Alonso explained that he had analysed Chelsea from the outside before entering discussions over the job.
“I could see the positives and had my concerns. So I addressed them,” Alonso said.
“The most important point is that we made the same analysis. If we had different views, it probably would not have been the right starting point.”
Xabi Alonso Chelsea project puts team spirit first
Alonso’s answer helps explain several decisions Chelsea have made since his arrival.
The manager wants a balance between younger players and more experienced personalities, rather than constructing a squad purely around age or future value.
“You need the right balance of personalities, of maturity stages,” he said.
“There is not a formula for that, but there is a feeling for it.”
Alonso believes relationships inside the dressing room can have as much influence on Chelsea’s progress as his tactical work.
“This is as important as tactics. First, it is the team spirit. After that is playing good football, winning games.”
ReadChelsea previously highlighted Alonso’s desire to create a team-first culture at Cobham, when his first message to the squad centred on hard work and putting the collective ahead of individuals.
His latest comments make clear that philosophy has not changed.
Alonso also described Chelsea as the right opportunity for both emotional and football reasons, saying the club’s situation “was not as bad as it looked” following last season’s tenth-place finish.
He believes there remains significant potential to improve.
Chelsea have already backed Alonso heavily this summer, but the manager’s own words suggest his rebuild will depend on more than new signings.
He wants the right personalities as much as the right players.
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