“Old-fashioned” Alonso doesn’t like my changing hairstyles

Robert Andrich has a strong feeling that Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso isn’t too fond of his frequently changing, extravagant hairstyles.

Over the years, Robert Andrich has become known for his frequent hairstyle changes.

At the European Championships he sported a short-haired pink hairstyle, and now his hair is longer and dyed blonde.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso hasn’t commented directly on Andrich’s hairstyles, but the midfielder has a strong suspicion that the Spaniard isn’t too keen on his frequent hair changes.

“I don’t think he likes it because he’s rather old-fashioned. When I come in with a new color, I can tell by the look on his face that he thinks: ‘Oh no, what’s he done now’. But he doesn’t say anything. As long as my performances are up to standard, it’s fine,” Andrich told Sport Bild.

In general, the 30-year-old knows that drawing attention to yourself with your appearance can put extra pressure on you and backfire.

“If you do things that may seem unusual, you have to perform better than others. That’s a fact. That’s the way football works,” he said.

“Older coaches pay more attention to that, so I knew early on that if I wanted to have my own hairstyle, I’d get more backlash if my performance wasn’t right. I’ve got used to it.”