Andoni Iraola is a head coach who was chosen as Liverpool’s new manager because of the style of football he prefers, not because of his character. The Reds’ hierarchy was impressed with his CV, but he was selected mainly because of the excellent footballing philosophy he promotes.
His intelligent Spanish and Basque football is exactly what Liverpool needs, while his Premier League experience has turned him into the ideal man for the job. The club acted quickly, and the Basque head coach was handed a two-year contract. He will take charge of Liverpool from the very start of pre-season.
It is his football and what happens on the pitch that matters, not things outside of it. Hard work rather than feeding the ego and pleasing the media. No enjoying the sound of his own voice during press conferences. No showing off, just working and focusing on the job of being Liverpool’s head coach.
The former Bournemouth manager went on an 18-match unbeaten run, which says enough about how his side was capable of competing for Champions League qualification. They had potential; with two or three more wins in the league, they would be in the Champions League next season.
Bournemouth tactics under Iraola.
Attractive and efficient Spanish football without too much risk. Iraola’s Bournemouth played out from the back on many occasions and built attacks through short passing combinations. Going forward, his team took very few unnecessary risks in possession and rarely lost the ball in areas where opponents could turn mistakes into dangerous counter-attacks and goals.
Many players stayed deeper rather than constantly making runs into the attacking line. Instead, they moved into pockets of space where they could receive the ball and move it in the right direction. This ensured they remained comfortable in possession, secured control of the ball and helped the team maintain stability on the pitch.
Chelsea and Tottenham both suffered because of this approach. They lost possession during attacking moves and were then punished by devastating counter-attacks that destroyed the structure of the team and the confidence of the players.
Bournemouth way, no risk.
Instead of taking risks, Bournemouth’s wide midfielders often found the wingers and midfielders early. Those players would carry the ball forward, especially Scott, quickly establish possession and create space in attacking areas.
Arne Slot was Liverpool’s coach, taking care of the football matters, tactics and developments.
If we talk about Liverpool, their previous manager, Arne Slot, was a professional head coach. He managed the team, coached the first squad, prepared matches and focused on tactical matters. He was a man who spoke about football, substitutions and topics directly related to coaching.
The dedicated Dutch professional was one of the best and most talented coaches in football before arriving at Liverpool. A man of enormous potential, he won the Premier League last season but was dismissed at the end of this campaign and replaced by Iraola, who possesses even greater managerial potential than Arne Slot ever did.
Iraola is the best possible head coach in world football, and Liverpool have improved by replacing Slot. His style of football brought the Basque coach to the Anfield dugout, while the two-year contract clearly shows that Liverpool’s model is led by coaches rather than managers.
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