Chelsea confirmed the appointment of former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso as their new manager last week on a four‑year contract, starting in July.
The former Liverpool player has never coached in the Premier League and has now stepped into a role that both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior have tried and failed at in the past year alone.
Speaking to Tribal Football via BetGoodwin, Poyet has backed Alonso to succeed as he hopes he can use his experience as a former midfielder to help him find his feet.
Asked how Alonso has impressed so far as a manager, he recalled his unbeaten season with Leverkusen when he made history in the Bundesliga.
"What Alonso did at Bayer Leverkusen was very good. I have to say, I have known Xabi for a long while now, going back to his playing days, as I could always see that he was going to go on to be a coach.
"He would read the game so well, he was smart, he understood the game really well, and you then knew once he was given a managerial role, to watch out for him. And at Leverkusen, Alonso did an excellent job. The attacking play was really good, quick wingers, plus defensively, his team was strong and also in midfield, his team had players who knew the game well and could use their experience very well.
"So they were an unknown quantity but had very good players to deliver what Alonso wanted, and with momentum as well, they managed to complete the job and become title winners in Germany, which isn’t easy when you have the power house of Bayern Munich to compete with.
"Then at Real Madrid, this is always a very difficult challenge, and I am sure he would have learnt a lot about this experience to make him stronger. You can’t say no to Real Madrid, so you have to take that role."
Will Alonso survive under a ruthless Chelsea board?
Chelsea have a habit of sacking managers. Can Alonso survive under a board that rarely has patience for managers to turn the side around?
"Yes, he can for sure. I like this appointment a lot. Alonso knows the Premier League, the appointment is nice, and early, so he can get to know the players before they go on the break, and most will be off to the World Cup. I am sure he has watched a lot of Chelsea to know the style of play he wants to adopt and what players will be very important for him to deliver this.
"With no major European competition for Chelsea, Alonso can really focus on the Premier League, so for him, it will be a bonus for sure, for the club, not so much for the financial loss. So Alonso can really get the players on the training ground to deliver the way he wants to play, give the Premier League his full focus and see how high they can go.
"Champions League football is the minimum I believe he will need to deliver, and it’s achievable for sure. The time needed on the training ground will really help Alonso with no Champions League, so the players can really look to learn from Alonso, and they can play the way he wants them to play. Obviously, he would want Champions League, make no mistake, but what he has now can be a benefit."
What can Alonso offer that Rosenior couldn’t during his 107-day spell with the Blues?
"Different personality, different experience, different culture, maybe more. He is a winner too. Both on the pitch, he won, and in Leverkusen, he won the Bundesliga too. So you have that experience, and maybe more respect for what Alonso can bring to the table.
"So I believe the personality will be different to Rosenior for sure, and Alonso will bring a different playing style too. Experience as well as Alonso played at the highest level of the game, he won big trophies, he played internationally and also had experience at Leverkusen too."
Chelsea will be without European football next season. Could that give them an advantage next season?
"Yes, absolutely. I mentioned earlier that, of course, Alonso wants to manage in the Champions League. But taking a step back, and he gets to focus on the Premier League, the players can be on the training field to listen and learn from him about what he wants to achieve, the way he wants to play, and they can give real focus on the Premier League to look to get back in the Premier League and finish in the top four.
"This is achievable for sure. Alonso needs to quickly identify the players who are going to fit into his style and those who he doesn’t need; you can sell and then look to get funds to get the player you want. He has the experience to deliver success for sure, and with no major European competition, it will be an advantage."
Should Alonso have more control over Chelsea's transfer strategy?
Reports state Chelsea have acknowledged mistakes of the past and want to give Alonso greater powers than some of his predecessors. Do you think Alonso should have more control over transfers in the summer?
"Yes, he should. You see the way he played at Leverkusen, the players all knew their positions well, and he was able to deliver the style of play and get the results from his team's play on the pitch. We’ve seen at Chelsea many players come and go, many squad players not playing as much, so now Alonso can look to see who wants to play for him and Chelsea and those who do not.
"This time now is crucial before the World Cup to decide which of those players will be part of his plans, so they can quickly move those who are not. This then enables Alonso the funds to be able to go and get his targets, who, you have to believe, will know what he wants from them and be able to fit into his system of play well."
Do you think midfielders such as Alonso are more suited to be managers than any other position?
"That’s a good question. Not necessarily, but recently you look at Pep (Guardiola), (Mikel) Arteta, (Cesc) Fabregas, Alonso, and these four especially are all doing well. All of these played to a high level, but then you go back and look at who didn’t play at such a top level, but really studied the game and learned very young about coaching and everything connected with being a coach.
"This then brings (Arsene) Wenger, (Jurgen) Klopp, (Jose) Mourinho and (Carlo) Ancelotti in, where they weren’t superstars, but they knew everything about being a coach and could deliver winning football, and man management was excellent. But as we look at the recent crop of top managers, then being a midfielder does seem to be more suited than others."