Exclusive: “He Loves To Know Who The Enemy Is!” – Nacho Cases Mora On ‘Winner’ Andoni Iraola | OneFootball

Nacho Cases Mora embodied the values that have long defined football in northern Spain: intelligence, humility and an unwavering commitment to collective effort. Having come through the ranks at Sporting Gijón and spent years immersed in the game both on and off the pitch, he has watched closely as a new generation of Basque coaches has set about reshaping modern football.

Now, as one of his former coaches, Andoni Iraola, settles into life in the Liverpool job, few are better placed to assess what the former Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth manager could bring to Anfield. Iraola’s rise has been one of the most compelling coaching stories in European football — built on bold attacking principles, relentless intensity and a clear tactical identity that has earned admiration across the continent.

In this exclusive interview, Nacho Cases Mora offers a unique insight into the man behind the touchline. Drawing on his understanding of Spanish football culture and the coaching landscape that helped shape Iraola, he discusses whether the Basque manager is ready for one of the biggest jobs in world football, how his philosophy would fit Liverpool’s traditions, and what supporters can expect…

What It’s REALLY Like To Play For Andoni Iraola

First impressions as a coach: “I think it was the last year he played football, and after I found him in Larnaca, 4,000 kilometres from my house, from his house, it was nice from the beginning. When you see in front of you one coach who was a player, you have more respect, you have more like, ‘Oh, this guy was a player, he will understand me, everything I feel. And from the beginning it was like that. Andoni was very kind to us; we were, I think, 10 or 11 Spanish football players there in Larnaca. I think that we helped him in his first year as a coach in Larnaca.”

Standout traits: “For me, the best thing about Andoni Iraola is that he’s very competitive, he’s a winner. If we play against him in a training, he wants to win everything. Then, from the beginning, he explained to us that you have to win, even in training. If you lose in the training, you don’t have to be happy; you have to be sad, you have to feel sad. For me, this competitive coach was the best for me. If he thinks his tactics are very good, it’s nice. But this character of Iraola is one of the things that is best for him. After, he has clear ideas. If you want to go with him, you go with him. At this time, the whole team we were with him. We continued following his instructions, his ideas, everything was like a family with him. But for me, the best thing about Iraola is that he’s a winner. He’s a winner. In the training, he wins. In the matches, he wins. Everywhere, he has to win. He wants to win.”

On his preparation: “Andoni Iraola analysed it all. They analysed the worst team in Cyprus. We had a lot of information from them. I don’t know where he got this information from, because even though they don’t show all the games on TV, we have a lot of information. I cannot explain to you now because they have many videos, many, I don’t know, one camera, one player. Now they have more things to do. But he loves a lot to know how the enemy is. About the enemy, we always took three or four things. If we do, we are going 90% of the chances to win. This is always the premise. They give us some ideas, three or four ideas. If you do that, we were thinking about that all week. If you make three or four things, you will win 90%. Most of the time, it was like that.  You know, Antoni Iraola is a fan of football. He’s a fan, he’s like Pep Guardiola. They think about football 25 hours per day. He’s a fanatic about football. Then they have everything under control.”

Inside Liverpool’s Decision to Appoint Andoni Iraola

On man management: “If you don’t play the match on Sunday and you are 100% in the training, it’s an amazing coach with you. If you relax a little bit, they start to have no problems, but it’s normal. I give all for you, I give you the information, I appreciate everything, but on Monday, you don’t play, you have to go 100%. If not, OK, you start to have problems. But he’s very clear with that. From the beginning, he said to us, ‘In the training, you have to go 100%’ He’s tough. If you don’t make 100%, he’s tough with you. And after, you can love him, but he’s tough.”

On the chances of success at Anfield: “With my heart in my hand, I think Iraola, if he has time, if you have patience with him, could be a Liverpool manager for years. Honestly, I thought some years ago that he would be the coach of Atletico Bilbao for many years, or even Barcelona. You read in the newspapers in Spain some years ago. But I think he can be a manager for years in Liverpool. But you need time. You have to be patient. And I know how you are in the big teams. But with patience and with time, Andoni Iraola, with my hand in the heart, (15:17) could be a success for Liverpool. And I like it because I’m a little bit of a fan of Liverpool.”