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Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler has said Chelsea supporters have every reason to feel optimistic about incoming head coach Xabi Alonso.
Alonso oversaw just 34 matches at Madrid during the opening half of last season before being relieved of his position, though the club's dramatic downturn in form since has led many to believe he was unfairly shouldered with the bulk of the blame.
The former midfield maestro will now seek to restore his managerial standing at Chelsea, having agreed terms to become the club's next permanent head coach at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.
From Güler's perspective, Alonso carries the kind of qualities that should translate into success at Chelsea.
"When he calls you into his office and breaks down the tactics, it's nearly impossible not to be won over," Güler told TRT Spor. "He understands exactly what you're capable of. He knows precisely what he can bring out of you. In short, he was someone who probably woke up each morning thinking about how to develop a player and how to connect with them.
"Before my first game in the starting lineup, he pulled me aside in the morning and said: 'I want you to touch the ball more than anyone around you.' When you hear something like that, it's hard not to buy in completely."
Ability to Command Respect Crucial to Floundering Chelsea Squad
Following Liam Rosenior's sacking in April, a number of troubling reports surfaced highlighting a deep rift between him and a large portion of his squad.
Rosenior's man-management style was frequently mocked by fans on social media and appeared to fare no better behind closed doors, with many players on the training ground questioning whether a manager whose playing days were largely spent in the lower half of the Premier League and the English second division truly grasped what it takes to compete at the elite level.
Make no mistake, a struggling group of players should not be so quick to dismiss any manager—given their own on-pitch shortcomings show they still have much to learn—but it appears evident that many of the young, inexperienced players in the Stamford Bridge dressing room would benefit greatly from a more commanding, high-profile figure like Alonso.
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Opinions remain divided on Alonso's early managerial career—the glory of an unbeaten Bundesliga triumph with Bayer Leverkusen somewhat overshadowed by his difficult spell in Madrid—but the caliber of his playing career is beyond dispute.
A World Cup champion with Spain, a two-time Champions League winner across stints at Liverpool and Real Madrid, and three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich—the accolades speak for themselves. Alonso spent years operating at the very pinnacle of the game, accumulating a tactical intelligence that clearly left Güler ready to give everything for him.
Chelsea need a leader—someone who walks into a room and instantly earns respect simply by virtue of who they are. In the modern game, few managers possess that natural authority quite like Alonso. If he can win over the likes of Cole Palmer, Estêvão and João Pedro the same way he captivated Güler, the outlook at Chelsea could be very bright indeed.