Exclusive interview with Alvaro Negredo: I could see Xabi Alonso coaching Liverpool in the future, Zinedine Zidane comparisons have harmed Jude Bellingham

In an exclusive interview with CoinPoker, former Real Madrid and Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo has given his thoughts on the Premier League, La Liga and beyond.

The ex-Spain international striker believes Xabi Alonso could manage Liverpool in the future and that comparisons to Zinedine Zidane have harmed Jude Bellingham’s time at Real.

Negredo also reminisces on his time working under Gary Neville at Valencia and why he would’ve played for Rangers over Celtic.

Q: Were you surprised that Sevilla signed Alexis Sanchez?

“I was surprised because there wasn’t much talk about that signing before it happened, but I think Alexis Sanchez is a world-class player that Sevilla are lucky to have. 

“It’s true that lately, with signings, age is looked at a lot, especially physical condition for better development. However, I believe Alexis, with good minutes, will be a very important player for Sevilla. 

“I am glad that veteran players are also signed, as they have experience that can help in the locker room.”

Q: Could Andoni Iraola reach the highest level as a manager? 

“Andoni Iraola has already demonstrated it. When he was at Rayo Vallecano, the team played so well. 

“Now he’s in the Premier League, continuing at that level. I think that in the end, he is a very young coach. You have to give them time. He has just finished playing football and has started coaching. I think he needs time to gain those habits that coaches want.

“I am also at that moment now, doing the coaching course, and for me, I think the time a coach needs is important. In the end, when you are a player, you think you know everything, know everything in the sense of how to train, and when you start doing it, the situation changes a lot. You know absolutely nothing then. 

“You have to start from scratch and he was in the first division with Rayo Vallecano, now he’s in the Premier League, and these experiences will be very important for his career.”

Q: How do you see Trent Alexander-Arnold’s place at Real Madrid?

“Well, it’s true that they are two different players. Dani Carvajal, in this case, is the captain of Madrid, he is a very important player for Madrid. Trent Alexander-Arnold will also need a little more time, perhaps, to get all the minutes he would like, because Carvajal is also at a good level. So, that’s another bit of management that I think Xabi will know how to handle.”

Q: Will Kylian Mbappe’s biggest goal be to win the Ballon d’Or?

“Every great player dreams of lifting the Ballon d’Or, and he is playing at a very high level, scoring many goals, and working hard for the team. 

“This year, Kylian Mbappe’s mindset seems to have shifted, he’s much more involved defensively than last year, when he focused on scoring. 

“But he also has exceptional talent in front of goal, which keeps him at the elite level.”

Q: Could you see Xabi Alonso ending up at Liverpool?

“I imagine he has a very special affection for Liverpool. It is true that the results will dictate if he is capable or not. He has done it in Germany; hopefully, he will do it in Madrid too.

“I am sure he has a long journey ahead. One of his favorite teams to coach or manage will be Liverpool, I do see it.”

Q: Have comparisons to Zinedine Zidane harmed Jude Bellingham?

“I think it could have harmed Jude Bellingham because we all knew how Zidane played and acted. It’s true that Jude is a player with so much potential. The injury also affected him from being at his best level for many moments of last season, and until the operation, he also looked very sore with the injury.

“We shouldn’t compare them. It’s never good to compare, especially when we’re comparing him to Zidane. Hopefully, he surpasses him, because that will mean he has grown a lot. 

“But we are talking about a very young player who is, as they say, starting his career, and what Zidane did throughout his career was brilliant. So, for me, being compared could harm him.”

Q: What do you remember of Gary Neville’s time at Valencia?

“Gary Neville arrived at a difficult time for the club, Valencia was in turmoil due to issues with the president and board. This created immense pressure, particularly for the players. 

“It wasn’t an ideal situation for a coach unfamiliar with the language and culture. Having experienced both English and Spanish football, I believe it was an unpleasant experience for him. 

“While he was a capable coach, the timing of his arrival was simply not right given the club’s circumstances.”

Q: What was the reaction of the Valencia team when he arrived?

“He settled in well and adapted quickly to the dressing room. There was a very good atmosphere and harmony within the group at that time, but we also had the pressure of Valencia being at the bottom of the table. That always weighs heavily on a player.

“We couldn’t perform our best to change the situation, but I remember him arriving with a very different methodology. As soon as he arrived, he gave each player an iPad, and throughout the week, he would send us actions and videos of opponents and ourselves. 

“I think his methodology was good because he had a lot of desire and enthusiasm to prove himself. Ultimately, neither he nor we could make it work. 

“It was a shame because I have a very good relationship with him, and I think he also has a good relationship with me, so it was a pity we couldn’t continue for more years.”

Q: Are you surprised that he hasn’t managed again since?

“Yes, it surprises me because I considered him capable and qualified. Perhaps in Spain at that time, due to the language barrier, he didn’t get more opportunities, but in the Premier League, I would have given him more, based on my experience. 

“For me, he was a good coach who, as I said, came with a very good attitude and a desire to improve. He had been a player, so he also possesses knowledge of the football world. 

“These are decisions that perhaps he didn’t want to continue experiencing, and he hasn’t had the opportunity to continue coaching.”

Q: Could you ever imagine him coaching Manchester United?

“It also depends on the situation at Manchester United. I think he was a very important player for Manchester United. He’s a player who gave a lot to English football.

“Perhaps, similar to Valencia at that time, it’s a United team who haven’t been consistently at the top for a long time, and perhaps now wouldn’t be the best moment.

“But it is also true that changes come when the team is not in a good moment. I would try him, because, as I say, as a coach, I did like him.”

Q: What do you think about Nuno Espirito Santo being replaced by Ange Postecoglou?

“When the message to players from coaches is no longer effective, it leads to clubs changing coaches. It’s easier to change one person than twenty-five, so the coach is often replaced. 

“Nuno did a lot of work at Valencia, qualifying the team for the Champions League in his first season, though the second was less successful. 

“These are club decisions that must be respected, especially when results aren’t favorable, or the work isn’t aligned with their vision. You have to assume that responsibility.”

Q: What can Nuno Espiritio Santo bring to West Ham?

“He’s a football man and a former player who understands how to manage teams. I imagine he’ll try to implement a clear strategy.

“Having worked in the Premier League for many years, he’ll know the challenges ahead, especially since many teams expected to be in Europe are currently in the bottom positions. He’ll have a tough fight, but football is unpredictable, and he might just turn things around.”

Q: What are your memories of your time at Middlesbrough?

“I enjoyed it, yes, but at the end of the season, no, because we didn’t achieve the objective of staying up and we were relegated, and in the end, no player wants to be in that situation.

“The Premier League is a league that I love, that I enjoyed, we had a wonderful group of players and I think, well, it made me grow, grow in the sense of accepting the mistakes of failing the club after they placed that trust in you with the objective of staying up and not achieving it. 

“But it is true that I enjoyed my time there. My son was also born there. So it is a city that I will always have a very special affection for.”

Q: How good would it be to see Middlesbrough back in the Premier League?

“I’d love to see a team with a beautiful fanbase that always treated me incredibly well. When you’re part of such a team, you want the best for them. 

“As a Boro fan, I hope they return to the Premier League and never leave it again. It’s true, the Championship is very difficult, but hopefully, we can return to the Premier League soon.”

Q: Who was the most underrated player in the Euro 2012 Spain side?

“Well, for me there is a player I have a soft spot for, David Silva. It’s true that David played a lot in Euro 2012. I’ve had the others as teammates in the national team, but David I’ve had as a teammate in the club and it was a wonderful year for me. 

“We understood each other very well, they call him ‘the magician’ here in Spain, because he is a magician. He is a player who drives, who dribbles, who scores goals. I think he is very complete. 

“Being in the Premier League he also had that aggressiveness in defending, which perhaps due to his stature he might not seem to have.

“David is my favourite player among teammates with whom I’ve also been fortunate to play with many players, but for me David is the top.”

Q: Is David Silva the best player to have played in the Premier League?

“There have been very good midfielders in the Premier League. Of those I experienced in my time in England, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard come to mind. 

“But offensively, for me as a striker, a player like him with that vision of the game, that last pass, I think it was fantastic to have him behind. I’m going to lean a little towards home and say it is David Silva.”

Q: Did you ever have the chance to play for Celtic or Rangers?

“Both are big teams. While I don’t follow Scottish football closely, I do see them in Europe, and they have had some brilliant players. 

“It’s hard to pick just one, but I would probably lean towards Rangers. A friend of mine, Nacho Novo, played there for many seasons, which might be why they’re more top of mind for me. 

“I never received an offer from either, but if I had to choose, I’d pick Rangers, while still acknowledging Celtic is a great team.”