Liverpool are ‘absolutely’ capable of winning the Premier League with Andoni Iraola in charge next season, according to one player who’s worked under the Reds’ new head coach.
The Spaniard was confirmed as Arne Slot’s successor in the Anfield dugout on Thursday evening and will be tasked with instigating a revival on Merseyside after the 2025 champions slumped to a fifth-place finish in the most recent top-flight campaign.
That was only one position above the 43-year-old’s Bournemouth side, with him leaving the Cherries with the parting gift of a first-ever qualification for Europe and the highest league finish in their history.
Speaking to reporters after the United States’ 2-1 defeat to Germany, Tyler Adams – who played under Iraola at the Vitality Stadium – was asked if Liverpool can win the Premier League with the Spaniard in charge.
The midfielder replied (via Ben Jacobs on X): “Can they? Liverpool? Absolutely. Under how he plays the game, with the types of players that they have and the style that he’s going to want to play, absolutely.”
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If Iraola is to emulate Slot by winning the Premier League in his first season as Liverpool head coach, it’d be a phenomenal achievement from the 43-year-old, who’d be taking over from a much lower base than his predecessor.
Whereas the Reds finished third with a nine-point gap to champions Manchester City in Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign at the helm, the Spaniard would have to overhaul a whopping 25-point deficit to Arsenal if he’s to deliver our 21st league title next May.
There won’t be any massive burden on the new boss to win the title in 2026/27, but he will be expected to oversee a radical improvement on the previous campaign, when our chances of retaining our crown were realistically ended as early as November.
Just as pertinent from Adams is his comment about how Iraola will ‘want to play’ at Liverpool, with the head coach hopefully able to reproduce the attack-minded, high-pressing approach which served him so well at Bournemouth.
If nothing else, at least the appointment of the 43-year-old has injected fresh enthusiasm into a fan base which couldn’t wait for the most recent campaign to end and had been feeling far more trepidation than excitement about the immediate future of the club.
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Well the appointment of Iraola is indeed a positive for LFC. Now to refocus on what had transpired and why last season. It is obvious given the reported money Konate is to receive from Real Madrid he was always going to go. Others that must go also are Gapko/Slot cooked his own goose by continually playing a woefully lazy and out of form player ahead of Rio – who rightfully was due more games. Chiesa for what he is being paid and his recent form when played/he must be sold. Frimpong/sorry but Jeremy’s stature and frame are unable to compete in the EPL.. Curtis Jones keeps on moaning about not playing in the middle but at right back which he does not like/well the facts are he was not good enough to unseat two out of form midfielders and he was quite surprisingly good when played at the right back-so if he is willing to be a right back – I would keep him/ but if not he probably is best moved on as well. Mamardashvili has under performed when given the start this season (very unsure of coming out and when/also not strong to the high ball)…Alison remains the far superior keeper – I would consider moving him on and bringing in another willing understudy for Alison. Endo if he wants to stay as a back up it is ok – but if he wants to move also ok. McAllister on his performances last season must be sold…Two very important things that must be done immediately without fail/new long term (min 5 years) contracts for both Dominik Szoboszlai and Rio with huge (I mean absolute stay away or pay figures as buyout clauses for both). For me Diomande is overpriced and better or equally as good can be bought for less…after that we definitely need a a replacement for Konate/Van De Ven for me….We most certainly need a ruthless enforcer as a #6…the rest I leave to FSG/Edwards/Iraola to work out. YNWA.
Good analysis. I feel macallister has a future though. He has played well with Argentina and most likely slot’s coaching has destroyed his liverpool momentum. As for chiesa, he has rarely been given any chance by slot. Let iraola assess him to see if he fits into our future.
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