Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has offered a detailed insight into his football philosophy. The Spanish boss is at odds with the belief that his teams are built solely for spectacle and an embracing of risk.
Iraola believes that organisation sits at the heart of his tactical style, arguing that proactive football is the most effective route to securing victories.
“I don’t want to be overly risky. Risky sounds like you’re not effective, and our approach centres around what we deem the best way to win. I prefer being a solid team that lifts trophies over simply entertaining the crowd. Many say, ‘It’s fascinating to watch,’ but I’d much rather hear, ‘You’re very good, you’re reliable.’ I like to think my teams have always been quite organised. There’s a lot of talk of chaos, but there’s plenty of organisation - everything has a purpose. I want everyone in the team to know their role and what their teammates should be doing as well. So when something goes awry, everyone looks at one player with the thought: ‘You should be here, this needs to be you.’ They learn from one another, and that’s the level we’re aiming to reach. Now that everyone understands who does what, they can occasionally even handle situations without my direct involvement,” Iraola stated.
