Andoni Iraola vows not to change as he embraces Liverpool’s ‘magic’

By Carl Markham, Press Association

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola intends to enjoy the “magic” of the job but he does not want it to change him.

The former Bournemouth boss understands the step up from the Cherries to his biggest challenge in football will bring with it scrutiny, as predecessor Arne Slot found out having been sacked a year after winning the Premier League.

However, the 44-year-old said he was planning to stick to his principles as that is what earned him the role in the first place – but wants to embrace everything the club and the city have to offer.

In a marked difference to Slot, who made his home near Manchester Airport to make it easier for him to fly home to see his family who remained in the Netherlands, Iraola intends to immerse himself in the local culture.

“Until I go through certain experiences I will not fully know but I’m here to experience those situations, I’m ready for it. I understand this is a massive club,” he said.

“Everything that I’m going say now, it’s going to get the biggest scrutiny. You have to be very aware of the mistakes but I wouldn’t like also to be too careful.

“I would like to act quite normal: I’m not going live in my bubble – just training ground, home. I would like also to go to the city, experience the city – I know some places, I would have to take some pictures.

“But it’s part also of the magic of being the Liverpool manager and I would like not to change too much.”

The Basque-born Iraola’s first challenge will be to re-energise a squad which unfathomably faltered just months after winning only the club’s second league title in 35 years, losing 12 matches and finishing fifth.

He has spent time trying to learn the issues but until the full squad returns after the World Cup he will not be able to make a proper assessment.

Iraola also needs help in the transfer market after the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson in the summer.

“Obviously I talked to the players, I talked to the staff, about the things that were not working very well and things that we think we can do differently,” he added.

“I have the advantage that probably players already know what we are going to demand in terms of style of play but we will have time to know each other.

“Obviously we’ve signed two players already (centre-back Jeremy Jacquet and winger Victor Munoz) but we need more players, we know this.

“As a coach, selfishly, I want the players here from day one ready to train for pre-season but understand football doesn’t work like this. I know the club is working hard for those signings and I’m trying to help also.”

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Iraola knows he will have the goodwill of the same supporters who turned on Slot but accepts he will have to reward them with a brand of football which has not been seen at Anfield since the final days of Jurgen Klopp in 2024.

“I would like to give them a team that they can feel proud of,” he added.

“I think football – and especially Liverpool – is about connecting: connecting with the people, connecting with our supporters.

“We have to be a team that works hard, intense, aggressive, vertical so everyone can be identified and everyone can feel comfortable supporting this team.”