Andoni Iraola’s methods could come as a surprise to Liverpool’s squad once he formally arrives at Anfield this summer. That’s the view of former Reds forward Dominic Solanke, who played under the Spaniard during a successful period together at Bournemouth.
Iraola, 43, has been named as Liverpool’s next permanent manager following Arne Slot’s recent dismissal. The Basque coach has put pen to paper on a two-year deal on Merseyside and will seek to restore Liverpool to their former glory after stumbling to fifth in the Premier League this season.
Yet Solanke has previously issued a stark nine-word warning about what lies ahead under Iraola’s approach. And it offered an insight into just how meticulous the former Athletic Club and Spain defender is regarding how he wants his sides to operate.
“We couldn’t take in all the information at first,” Solanke told The Times in 2023. Bournemouth notably endured a sluggish beginning under Iraola’s stewardship after his appointment in 2023 and failed to secure victory in any of their opening nine league matches with him at the helm.
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Solanke, who moved to Tottenham for £55million in the summer of 2024, added: “For me, I’m pressing with a No. 10 behind me and at first, our timing was off. We didn’t know when to press or to drop.”
The Spurs striker went on to describe how Iraola’s approach eventually became “second nature” once every player understood what the manager expected. This was reflected in Bournemouth’s performances as the Cherries gradually established themselves as a top-half side during his spell in charge.
The south-coast outfit ultimately ended his first league campaign in 12th, then climbed to ninth the following year. Yet he reserved his finest accomplishment for last as he guided the club to sixth this term, securing Europa League qualification having never participated in European competition previously.
View 2 ImagesDominic Solanke has said in the past how Bournemouth initially struggled to adapt to Iraola’s demands(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Solanke’s remarks bear striking resemblance to the mood that surrounded Anfield when Jurgen Klopp first took charge. The German’s ‘gegenpressing’ philosophy required time to take root within the squad after he first landed at Anfield but the Reds evolved into a dominant European powerhouse once his methods were firmly in place.
It’s not just Iraola’s tactics that could surprise certain players. Another Bournemouth alumnus, Antoine Semenyo, featured on the In The Mixer podcast and revealed the coach can sometimes require his players to work for weeks consecutively without a day off.
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That steadfast dedication to his approach has already produced remarkable results at one Premier League club. Yet extracting those extra margins from players at Liverpool and breaking into England’s elite tier will be an altogether different challenge.
Persuading players of even higher standing to buy into his philosophy and potentially endure early struggles will be a test in itself. That said, Liverpool’s supporters are well aware of the potential rewards to be gained once more if everything falls into place under another new regime.
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