“I will always give him my opinion” - Toni Kroos shares his thoughts about becoming Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid
Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has made his views clear on joining Carlo Ancelotti as an assistant coach at the Santiago Bernabeu. He clarified that he did not want to be away from his family but would give his opinion if the manager ever approached him with an issue.
Kroos confirmed he was not thinking of taking up coaching during an interview with The Athletic. He added that it was the travelling involved that forced his retirement, not the 90 minutes on the pitch. The German said:
"No, I'm not going to be a coach. No, that's impossible. Whenever he wants, I will always give him my opinion. But he knows why I retired. An important part of it is the amount of travel, hotels, etc. It's never been the 90 minutes on the pitch. If that's all it was, I could play until I don't know when. Sometimes he and I are in contact, it's normal with the relationship we have, but Carlo knows there's no point in even asking me because he knows the answer."
On why he would not become a coach too, Kroos added:
"A day at Valdebebas (Real Madrid's training ground) is even more difficult as a coach than as a player. As a player you come, you do your job and you go home. As a coach, you are responsible for everyone, the first to come and the last to leave, you also have all this travel… I see myself well in the academy."
The former Real Madrid star further claimed that he could see himself becoming a sporting director sometime in the future. He believes the job is a lot easier than coaching.
Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos on why he would coach a small youth team but not a big club
Toni Kroos told Magenta TV in 2023 that he saw himself becoming a commentator or even a small youth team's coach. However, he ruled out taking up the managerial role at a big club.
During the conversation before he announced his retirement, Kroos said (via AllFootball):
"I could imagine [myself] sitting next to a great commentator and commenting on certain things. That is something different than what an expert does, saying what was good or bad after the game. I don't want the stress of travelling, spending half my life in hotels and being away from family. I don't want that anymore. I would coach a small youth team."
In the same conversation, the former Real Madrid star revealed paying up to €30,000 to travel back home on a private jet after national team matches to be with his family.