The World Cup may be dictating the footballing world right now, but there’s no let-up for Liverpool. Despite the season coming to an end, the Reds are in full throttle as new head coach Andoni Iraola gets to grips with his new surroundings.
While he has stoked excitement for the red half of Merseyside, today’s news sees the 43-year-old given a stern warning at the monumental task that lies ahead.
The Basque is also expected to make waves in the transfer market this summer, with the Reds in need of surgery on several areas of the squad. Other news sees the coach backed to pull off an audacious £120million double raid on his former club Bournemouth.
Liverpool hero Emile Heskey claims Iraola is about to experience an “immense” step up in pressure and expectations following his move to Anfield. Iraola was appointed Reds boss earlier this month on a two-year contract after steering Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.
Heskey, who made 223 appearances for the Reds between 2000 and 2004, told Grosvenor Sport: “I think at the end of the day, the manager will always be blamed. Regardless of what’s said and done, the manager takes the fall when it comes to results.
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“It is his job to try and get the players playing the way that he wants to play, to be entertaining for the fans, and to win games. So inevitably [Slot] will be blamed for that. With Iraola, we’ve seen at Bournemouth that he knows how to win games, he knows how to set up structurally, and he knows how to change it structurally if he needs to.
View 3 ImagesAndoni Iraola has signed a two-year deal at Liverpool(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“The only thing is he hasn’t done it at a club like Liverpool, where the pressure is immense. There’s no win, lose, or draw; you just have to win. It’s going to be very tough for Iraola. What I will say is that what I’ve heard him talk about sounds great.
“It’s aggressive football. It’s on the front foot. It’s what Liverpool fans have been so used to over the years – rock and roll football. He’s spoken about that, but I’m hoping he can be tactical and get the players on his side.”
Continuing, Heskey said: “One thing you have to do is get the dressing room on your side. If you haven’t got the players backing you, it’s very tough, as we saw with Slot.”
Liverpool have been predicted to launch a sensational transfer assault on Bournemouth for Eli Kroupi and Alex Scott by England icon Alan Shearer. Kroupi, 19, could set the Reds back around £80m, while midfielder Scott, 23, has reportedly been slapped with a similarly large £80m price tag, meaning the Reds could shell out a whopping £160m.
The ex-Newcastle striker says he understands the clamour for the pair and would not be surprised if they moved this summer. French forward Kroupi has been a revelation for the Cherries, scoring 13 times this season, while Scott has emerged as one of the most talented playmakers in the Premier League.
View 3 ImagesEli Kroupi (R) and Alex Scott have been linked with a move away from Bournemouth(Image: 2025 Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth)
“I totally understand why bigger clubs will be looking at their players because of their outstanding performances, particularly last season, though I guess Bournemouth fans will hate to hear this,” Shearer told Betfair.
“We’ve said it many times and we’ll say it again: their recruitment at Bournemouth has been off the charts, so it is no surprise some of their players are being linked with big football clubs.
“That’s a great credit to them for the job they’ve done in getting those players there. I said months ago that the two players I would pick out of that team would be Eli Kroupi and Alex Scott. I think they’ve been absolutely outstanding this season for Bournemouth, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to me at all if they were to go this summer.”
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