After Xabi Alonso’s dismissal, former Real president Ramón Calderón criticized the processes at the Madrid club. In his opinion, decisions are not based on expertise.
Ramón Calderón, who served as president of Real Madrid from 2006 to 2009, sharply criticized the club’s separation from Xabi Alonso.
Despite the 2-3 defeat against arch-rival FC Barcelona, the 74-year-old does not believe that the team was on the wrong track.
Xabi Alonso is no longer head coach of Real Madrid
Criticism after Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid
“They could have drawn or even won. The performance wasn’t bad,” Calderón stated in an interview with Stats Perform , adding: “In the end, however, it seems to have been the president’s decision to dismiss him.”
The Madrid club is a president-style club. “There is no sporting director and no real sporting or footballing advisory structure. Therefore, the president makes the decisions and also reverses them as he sees fit,” Calderón continued, shifting the main focus for the team’s playing problems more onto the team than onto the coach.
Toni Kroos’ name also comes up
“From my point of view, the squad planning was possibly not optimal, because the midfield has obviously suffered after the departures of Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos. I would have asked the sporting director,” said Calderón: “In my case, Predrag Mijatović (sporting director at Real Madrid from 2006 to 2009; editor’s note) and his team were responsible for sporting decisions because they are the ones who know or knew.”
Calderón added: “I have always said: Even the fan with the most knowledge knows less than the professional with the least. Ultimately, experts must make the decision. They know the weaknesses and strengths of the squads as well as the characteristics of the coaches, and I would have asked if he would have considered this decision to be correct.”