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“Dear Xabi Alonso!” – Erich Ribbeck writes a letter
Status: 12.04.2024 | Reading time: 2 minutes
“As an older coaching colleague, I would like to allow myself to use your first name”: Erich Ribbeck found personal words
Source: dpa/Marius Becker
Erich Ribbeck once won his first major title with Bayer Leverkusen. The upcoming championship of his former club has a special significance for the ex-national coach.
Former national coach Erich Ribbeck has written a master’s certificate to Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. In the letter published in “Bild”, the 86-year-old expressed his joy that Alonso would remain coach at Leverkusen. “Xabi, you certainly had several opportunities to leave Bayer 04 now. But you would rather continue with your team. You are an unusual exception these days. You seem grounded to me, I like the way you interact with your fellow trainers. You are authentic. And I believe that this will also be well received by your players,” wrote Ribbeck.
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“Dear Xabi Alonso!” Ribbeck began the letter written in his adopted home of Tenerife. “First of all, as an older coaching colleague, I would like to allow myself to use your first name. Xabi, you are on the verge of a historic success with your wonderful team and your coaching team. I am very happy that my former club Bayer 04 Leverkusen will soon finally celebrate its first German championship.”
Ribbeck ends with a prediction
Ribbeck coached Leverkusen from 1985 to 1988 and again in the 1995/96 season. He was the first coach to win a title with Bayer 04 – in 1988 he won the UEFA Cup with the Werkself. “The first title was a milestone in the history of Bayer 04,” wrote Ribbeck, adding: “36 years have passed since then. The football world has long since changed completely. The game of football has become a different sport.”
Leverkusen’s great longing for their first championship has remained throughout all these years. “This championship title in 2024 is certainly more valuable than our win in the European Cup back then,” said Ribbeck. According to the former national coach, no team “deserves it so much. The way you performed fills me with great joy and I think it is realistic to finish the season undefeated.”
