Andoni Iraola has done a brilliant job at Bournemouth, with Liverpool hoping that his work on the south coast can translate to a bigger club playing lots more fixtures
Andoni Iraola and some of his players after his final game as Bournemouth head coach(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
When then-Bournemouth technical director Richard Hughes made the decision to fire Gary O’Neil in the summer of 2023, the call was met with widespread surprise.
Seven months earlier, Scott Parker had been dismissed in the aftermath of the Cherries losing 9-0 against Liverpool, with O’Neil coming in to steady the ship. Bournemouth, at that point rock bottom, avoided relegation, winning 10 out of the 34 games that he took charge of, and finished 15th.
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley said it was a “difficult decision” to let O’Neil go. The reason that the change was made, though, was Andoni Iraola — and it was a move that paid off with Europa League qualification three years later.
Iraola finished 12th in season one (48 points) and ninth in season two (56 points). In the campaign just gone, even though Bournemouth went two months without a win at one point, the team finished sixth on 57 points — three fewer than Liverpool.
“It’s been hugely impressive,” Bournemouth reporter Alex Smith tells Liverpool.com. “He has changed the mindset of the squad and club to look up the table, having been very much a side fighting for survival prior to his arrival.
“To get Bournemouth to Europe and finish sixth in the Premier League is an achievement that cannot be underestimated — this is a club that only 17 years ago avoided dropping out of the Football League after a 17-point deduction, and has only had nine total seasons in the top flight.
“But under Iraola and owner Bill Foley, the ambition has been clear — and they’ve reached European football with a year-and-a-half to spare from Foley’s five-year goal when he took over the club.”
Andoni Iraola on the touchline as Bournemouth’s head coach(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
To what extent is that down to Iraola? The true test of that will be how Marco Rose, his successor, gets on, but those who know the Spaniard say his relentless work ethic and encouraging personality are key. So too are the people he has around him, including highly rated assistant coach Tommy Elphick, who turned down the chance to become the new head coach at Bristol City last week.
Bournemouth lost players, including Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen last summer, with Antoine Semenyo departing mid-season. And yet, even amid the squad being gutted of talent, Iraola’s team was relatively consistent.
“His tactical philosophy is a clear strength, with his teams pressing aggressively with plenty of intensity,” Smith says. “You can see the influence of his time as a player at Athletic Club under the likes of Marcelo Bielsa and Ernesto Valverde on the way he plays, but I also think his man management is excellent, as he has been able to shift the mindset of the club.
“I think his impact on the squad was made clear by their reaction to the announcement that he would be leaving — they were even more motivated to achieve European football to send Iraola out on a high.
Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola during their time together at Bournemouth(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
“His work with young players, too, is brilliant — he is never afraid to throw young players into games and trusts them and their ability, giving them plenty of opportunity with the team.”
There will be adaptations that Iraola needs to make should he move to Anfield. He will, for instance, no longer be the underdog.
“I think one weakness has been, at times, his Bournemouth side’s inability to break down low blocks,” Smith explains. “The majority of the time, this is not necessarily an issue and he has found a way to do it, but there have been occasions when they have struggled.
“Part of that is his own description of his Bournemouth side as a ‘volume’ team — i.e. having 15 chances and scoring a couple rather than five chances and putting away two. That means that sometimes when they do not create the chances, they struggle to score, but I think with a team with forwards of the quality of Liverpool, this won’t be as much of an issue.
“We saw it at the end of the season with Bournemouth that having a forward of the ability of Junior Kroupi meant they were more ruthless in front of goal. Crucially, too, Iraola has been adaptable. I am sure that he’ll step up and make the necessary tweaks when at Liverpool.”
Get Liverpool’s new 2026/27 home kit
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
£85
LFC Shop
Liverpool FC have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27, inspired by iconic adidas strip worn during the club’s 1989/90 title-winning campaign.
Breaking down deep-lying defenses, certainly, will be one challenge that Iraola has to face up to. So too will playing in European competition alongside a league campaign, which he has no experience of as a coach.
“I think (he’s ready for the step up),” Smith adds. “I think his style of play is well-suited to how Liverpool fans want to play the game. I think, and hope, they will take him into their hearts and he can lead them to big things.
“I’ve seen concerns over how his system will match up to the busy schedule, and coming up against more low blocks. But I think he will be able to adapt to the squad he has, and with some key additions, make the progress needed to meet that challenge.
“His relationship with the Bournemouth fans was excellent; they adore him for what he has achieved at the club. I think they will not begrudge him the step up to Liverpool and will wish him success — although not in the games against Bournemouth!
“The obvious answer (in terms of who might benefit from Iraola’s arrival) is Kerkez, after he signed from Iraola’s Bournemouth last summer. Beyond him, I think Dominik Szoboszlai will continue to be key for Liverpool under Iraola, while young players like Rio Ngumoha will get plenty of opportunity to flourish.”