Exactly 12 months ago, Liverpool secured five victories at the start of the Premier League season and seemed well on their way to defending their title under Arne Slot. That triumphant run kicked off with a match against bold Bournemouth, managed by Andoni Iraola. Little did anyone know that just a year later, the Basque would take the managerial seat at Anfield while the Dutchman would be asked to step aside.
Football can be unpredictable. It’s perhaps too early to make definitive judgments on the 44-year-old manager, especially as the Merseysiders have already dropped six points compared to last season's similar stretch. However, under Iraola's stewardship, Liverpool remain unbeaten, and this weekend, the Spaniard faces an emotional return to the south coast—back to the club where he spent three remarkable years.
Walking into the away dressing room at Bournemouth's stadium will undoubtedly feel different for Iraola. The ‘Cherries’ have recently undergone renovations to meet strict European regulations, making the visit somewhat more comfortable than in past years.
Iraola has quickly settled into the north-west of England, swapping the southern coast for the quiet seaside town of Formby, which has previously housed the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers. The manager has been spotted several times out and about in town, and as a passionate cycling enthusiast, he is enjoying the scenic routes along the coast.
A hard worker without airs: 6 days a week and a meeting room instead of an office
The training pitch is where Iraola truly excels. At the club, he’s referred to as a classical coach who works ‘six days a week’. His passion for training is so intense it even surprises seasoned staff—he often is the first to step out onto the AXA training ground in Kirkby, personally setting up cones and markers before sessions.
Young striker Lewis Kumasa confirms the extreme training loads:
The intensity is just mental. There’s so much hard graft—there are no rest or light days at all. Everyone gives it their all.
Inside the club, everyone is happy to finally close the dark chapter of last season, which ended in disaster with 12 league defeats. Even if Slot had remained in charge, a change for the better seemed inevitable. As Alexander Isak pointed out, there’s a palpable sense that things are just getting better and better.
Iraola’s approach is refreshingly humble; he rarely visits his lavish personal office, opting instead to work at a communal table alongside his assistants—Tommy Elphick, Sean Cooper, and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre. De la Torre, who followed Iraola from Rayo Vallecano in 2023, plays a crucial role in developing the players' fitness levels, ensuring they meet the coach's rigorous standards.
There haven’t been any major upheavals within the club's structure—the role of head coach remains strictly defined. However, the Basque is learning to navigate the relentless fixture schedule of a grand club, with Liverpool facing a minimum of 49 matches this season; deep cup runs could push that number beyond 60.
Iraola actively listens to the medical department and sports physiologists, tailoring training times to the kick-off of the next game. Evening sessions have become the norm, a shift from Slot’s rigid morning-only schedule.
He’s also enhancing communication with the youth academy. U21 manager Rob Page notes the full alignment of playing ideas:
We have a clear understanding of how the first team operates and what its key principles are. We know all the details, like how the 'ten' presses, how the 'eight' engages with opponents, and how the centre-backs push forward—we reflect these demands in the youth set-up.
Recently, Dominik Szoboszlai explained a tactical innovation: the midfield is now structured with a traditional ‘six’, an ‘eight’, and an attacking ‘ten’. Although fans called for a classic holding midfielder during the summer, Iraola’s system has proven viable through collective off-the-ball work.
Adapting to pressure and betting on youth
Iraola’s match day routine is also unique; players learn their starting XI only the morning of the game, while in-depth video analysis is postponed to the following day, avoiding heated discussions immediately after matches.
A learning experience for Iraola has been managing media interactions. After a pre-season friendly with Monaco, he candidly admitted on club television that the team was exhausted after just half an hour and not ready to play at his intensity yet. While he meant to acknowledge the players' fitness levels, British media sensationalised his comments. Now the manager understands that every word is scrutinised on social media at Anfield. Nevertheless, at official press conferences, he consistently maintains a calm demeanour and a willingness for discussion.
The hierarchy at Liverpool backed Iraola for his unique ability to nurture young talent. The plan is working: the average age of the Liverpool squad in the Premier League has dropped to 25.3 years, with only five top-flight sides younger. Eighteen-year-old Rio Ngumo, 19-year-old Trey Nyoni, and 20-year-old Kumasa started in the League Cup clash against Tottenham and are receiving far more playing time than a year ago.
Intensity remains a sacred term in the Basque’s philosophy. The club leads the league in sprinting statistics, but the relentless pace has its toll: after a draining victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Liverpool appeared depleted in a dull goalless draw with Fulham just 72 hours later.
An even more demanding stretch lies ahead. The Bournemouth match will mark the fourth in just 12 days, and immediately following the international break, the team faces a marathon of four games in ten days (a total of nine matches from October 11 to November 7). In the midst of this demanding schedule, Iraola will need to find ways to secure points through set pieces and moments of individual brilliance from his stars.
Iraola was genuinely pleased when his former club, Bournemouth, surprisingly defeated Real Sociedad away in their first Europa League match last Thursday. While on his flight south on Saturday, the Spaniard will surely reflect on the incredible journey he has undertaken in just a year.
Starting at Anfield hasn't been smooth, but the Spaniard remains unbeaten in the Premier League since January (considering his time at both clubs). The team has become more resilient, moving on from a previous campaign riddled with 12 defeats—a step in the right direction. However, as vice-captain Alisson stated bluntly, Liverpool can’t be satisfied with draws. On Sunday, Iraola needs nothing less than a win against his former club.
