Gareth Bale explains why Xabi Alonso failed at Real Madrid despite being an 'incredible coach'

Alonso, who was relieved of his duties just over a week ago, arrived with a sterling reputation following his historic success at Bayer Leverkusen. However, despite winning 13 of their first 14 matches under the coach, his "adventure" on the Madrid bench unravelled quickly, leading to his dismissal after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona and a storm of questions regarding what went wrong.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Bale provided a candid assessment. The Welshman, who spent a trophy-laden but often turbulent decade at the club, argued that the skillset required to succeed at Real Madrid is fundamentally different from almost any other club in world football.

"He is an incredible coach," Bale said. "He has won what he has won at Bayer Leverkusen, he has won trophies, he has coached the team incredibly well. But when you get to Real Madrid, you don't need to be a coach, you need to be a manager."

The core of Bale's analysis centres on the specific personnel that inhabit the home dressing room at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid have historically been built on the 'Galactico' philosophy, assembling the most expensive and talented individual stars on the planet. According to Bale, these players do not require micromanagement; they require a delicate touch.

"You need to manage the egos in the dressing room," Bale explained. "You have to pamper the egos."

Alonso's relationship with Vinicius Junior was particularly shaky. The coach's decision to drop the Brazilian to the bench on occasion caused tension between the two and the forward was even heard saying he would leave the club following his dramatic reaction to being substituted against Barcelona.

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Bale went further, suggesting that tactical obsession can actually be a hindrance at Madrid. The Welshman’s philosophy is that with such an abundance of world-class talent, the game plan should be relatively simple: put the best players on the pitch and let them win the game.

"You don't need to do so many tactical things," Bale asserted. "In the dressing room there are superstars who can change matches in the blink of an eye. So, yes, you can tell he [Alonso] is a great coach and tactician, but at Madrid, obviously, it didn't work."

This perspective aligns with the success of managers like Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, both of whom were often described as "facilitators" rather than tactical revolutionaries. They allowed players like Bale and Vinicius Junior the freedom to create moments of magic out of nothing. Alonso's demands, on the other hand, seemed to leave players feeling stifled.

Captain Dani Carvajal said as much earlier this season when comparing Ancelotti and Alonso, saying: "Each coach has his own methodology, as you say, they're different generations. It's true that, for example, with Carletto, we had much more freedom in that sense of, well, you came out a little later, although he got angry with us. Xabi is a little more upfront, with more discipline, but well, within each one, his own ideas."

Bale’s comments serve as a timely warning for future Madrid bosses, as well as a retrospective on why the marriage between Alonso and Madrid failed. The current squad, boasting the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius, fits the exact profile Bale describes: a collection of match-winners who can dismantle opponents in a heartbeat if they feel comfortable and supported.

While the post-Alonso era under Alvaro Arbeloa got off to a woeful start - a shock 3-2 Copa del Rey defeat - they have bounced back with two comfortable wins, having beaten Levante in La Liga at the weekend before crushing Monaco 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.