Andoni Iraola has been talked up as one of the early contenders to become the next Liverpool head coach after the dismissal of Arne Slot.
The Merseyside club confirmed the Dutchman’s departure on Saturday lunchtime, bringing an end to his reign at Anfield after two years in which he delivered the Premier League title before then overseeing an almighty slump to scrape fifth place.
Fabrizio Romano reported (via X) that Iraola – who’s just finished a hugely successful three-year spell at Bournemouth – is the ‘clear favourite’ to take over at LFC, and the 43-year-old would apparently be ‘interested’ in succeeding Slot.
Speaking to Sky Sports News shortly after today’s bombshell news broke, their reporter Vinny O’Connor explained why he thinks the Spaniard could be a good fit for the Liverpool job.
He said: “There’s all kinds of tie-ins with [ex-Cherries sporting director] Richard Hughes being at Liverpool, and we broke the news the other day that Iraola would like to hold out for the Liverpool job. He’s been linked with numerous jobs already since the announcement that he’s leaving Bournemouth.
“It’s a name that Liverpool fans have mentioned. I would argue that it’s a big jump going from Bournemouth to Liverpool, certainly even bigger than going from Feyenoord to Liverpool, but at the same time, the style of play is something that Liverpool fans would definitely relate to.
“I think everyone’s been impressed with what he’s done at Bournemouth and the style of play he’s been able to implement there. I think he would get Liverpool fans and Liverpool fans would get him. I think it’s pretty easy to put him at the top of the list at the moment, but I would imagine that Liverpool are going through a pretty thorough process at the same time.”
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All of those are fair points from O’Connor – Iraola’s stock is undoubtedly quite high at the moment after the exceptional job he did at Bournemouth, although expectations and scrutiny at Liverpool would be substantially higher.
While his achievement in getting the Cherries to sixth place and into the Europa League was rightly hailed as a huge success, Slot ultimately lost his job at Anfield for finishing one place higher and qualifying for the Champions League.
However, the Spaniard is renowned for a forward-thinking, high-pressing style of football which’d likely resonate with Reds supporters who’d grown weary of the Dutchman’s tepid tactics.
O’Connor’s point about Iraola being likely to ‘get’ Liverpool supporters is also quite pertinent. Head coaches will be judged primarily on results on the pitch, but this is a club where it’s especially important to resonate with the fan base.
That’s why fans continued to back Jurgen Klopp even in difficult moments and, by contrast, weren’t willing to afford Slot the same patience when things went awry under the 47-year-old.
Missing out on Xabi Alonso to Chelsea was a sore on to take for the Reds, but if FSG can move swiftly to appoint Iraola now that he’s unattached, it’d represent a hugely promising appointment which’ll likely be very well received on the red half of Merseyside.
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He’s done well at Bournemouth but I would be be cautious with him be Liverpool manager. Completely different pressure at Liverpool, he would certainly have to improve his defensive record, at Bournemouth it wasn’t great.
Then there’s the most important thing, can he handle the big players. Slot got sacked because he lost the dressing room, once that happens you are finished. When Salah criticised slot for the style of football and other players endorses it on social media you can only imagine the Atmosphere towards slot in the dressing room.
Iraola hasn’t achieved anything of note at the highest level, he’s won nothing. He is another Brendan Rodgers, slot signing.
Getting rid of slot and replacing him with someone who’s not going to improve anything isn’t a good decision.
FSG have now sacked their entire coaching staff at the Boston red Sox, they’ve sold out at the Pittsburgh penguins because of failure, and now they sacked slot who’s taken Liverpool ten steps backwards.
What does all this say about the competence of FSG as owners of Liverpool football club.
Are we now the next Manchester United and Chelsea who’ve gone through countless manager’s without any real improvement.
Klopp saved FSG, without him I only see further decline. If FSG want Liverpool to compete at the top bring him back. Get klopp back, or accept the truth we are now the new Manchester United.
Iraola or Glazner won’t be any better than slot.
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