With Andoni Iraola the firm favourite to take over as the next head coach of Liverpool, Reds fans will surely be encouraged by the testimonies of those who’ve seen the 43-year-old up close at his previous club Bournemouth.
The Spaniard’s stock has risen substantially after three impressive years at the Vitality Stadium, leading the Cherries to a first-ever European qualification in the most recent campaign as they remarkably finished sixth in the Premier League.
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Anfield chiefs are reportedly pushing to have the new man in charge before the start of the World Cup on 11 June, and they’ll have had ringing endorsements from those who’ve worked with Iraola on the south coast.
What Bournemouth sources have said about Iraola
In an article for BBC Sport, Aadam Patel highlighted a couple of appraisals from sources at Bournemouth which give Liverpool fans some insight as to what they can expect from the 43-year-old, if indeed he’s hired as Arne Slot’s successor.
One insider said of the Spaniard’s training regime: “Andoni likes to take all of the sessions and be in the thick of it, as opposed to leaving it to others. He was always at the training ground before me and left after me, and I feel like I’m here all the time!”
Another source from the Vitality Stadium outlined: “The first seven or eight games didn’t go to plan but as soon as he got the team going, it was unbelievable.
“Of course, Bournemouth is nothing like the scale of the task at Liverpool, but Andoni is so driven. That’s why he’s so successful and why I think it will all work out at Anfield.”
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Iraola seems to have an elite mentality
These testimonies from the south coast club align with Antoine Semenyo’s anecdote about players being summoned for a full training session the day after a match, even for those who started the game in question.
It’s already quite apparent that Iraola is demanding, relentless and very much hands-on when it comes to working on the training ground, the sort of qualities that Liverpool fans would surely like to see from their club’s head coach.
As some observers have pointed out, the 43-year-old would need to adapt to the rigours of frequent three-match weeks if he takes the job at Anfield, something he hasn’t had at Bournemouth or Rayo Vallecano (his only European campaign was with AEK Larnaca in 2018/19).
That could oblige him to tailor his training regime accordingly, but we don’t doubt that he’d be astute enough to account for domestic and continental commitments, a challenge that he knows would be awaiting him at Anfield.
If Iraola is appointed as the next Liverpool head coach, he’ll ultimately be judged on results above all else, but the insight of those who’ve seen him at close quarters on the south coast paints a glowing picture of the Spaniard.
This is so klopp-like. His passion for football is strong. A good start to winning fans and dressing room back.
You’re welcome to Anfield
Easier to implement though at Bournemouth, where there are no big players on huge wages, and crucially Bournemouth play one game in a week.
At Liverpool there’s three games a week, and he has to convince big players that the extra intensity in training will be successful.
We all want him to be successful and hopefully he will but don’t expect miracles overnight. It took klopp four years. Unless there’s gradual improvement will he get the time.
He will have three years contract, the minimum is champions league football. He’s coming in to Liverpool fans expecting and demanding good attacking football. He has to find the right balance between attack and defence to get the result.
On the right results will keep him in the job, not attacking football and high intensity.
The biggest questions still remain. Can he handle the pressure, there was none at Bournemouth.
Can he overcome the low block, defending counter attacking and set pieces.
He’s coming in on the back of the attacking football he had with Bournemouth. But is biggest task is to improve the defence
Iraola at Bournemouth 170 goals they scored in three seasons. But conceded 167 goals.
That’s not going to win anything at Liverpool.
Sort out the defence the priority.