Why Liverpool pursued Andoni Iraola to replace Arne Slot as manager | OneFootball

Liverpool’s pursuit of Andoni Iraola is about more than finding a replacement for Arne Slot. It is about restoring an identity that many supporters feel has been lost.

The decision to move on from Slot marks a dramatic turn of events after he arrived as Jurgen Klopp’s successor. But a disappointing campaign, coupled with increasingly flat performances, convinced Liverpool’s hierarchy that change was needed.

In Iraola, sporting director Richard Hughes believes he has found the ideal candidate.

The connection between the two is well established. Hughes was instrumental in bringing Iraola to Bournemouth in 2023 when he was the club’s technical director. Three years later, the Spaniard leaves the south coast having delivered the most successful period in Bournemouth’s history.

After announcing in April that he would depart at the end of the season, Iraola signed off with an 18-match unbeaten run that secured a sixth-place finish and European qualification for the first time.

His managerial journey has taken him from Cyprus with AEK Larnaca to Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano in Spain before arriving in England. While his trophy cabinet remains relatively modest, containing only the Cypriot Super Cup he won in 2018, his reputation has been built on consistently outperforming expectations.

At Bournemouth, he transformed a mid-table side into one of the Premier League’s most exciting teams.

That is exactly what appeals to Liverpool.

One of the biggest criticisms of Slot’s second final season was that Liverpool no longer looked like Liverpool. The energy, aggression and relentless pressing that defined Klopp’s era gradually disappeared.

The atmosphere at Anfield became increasingly frustrated as performances lacked intensity and purpose.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard recently summed up the feeling when he suggested Liverpool had not looked like themselves for much of the past two seasons.

Iraola’s football offers the chance to change that.

The 43-year-old has built his reputation around high pressing, direct attacking football and an aggressive mentality. He once explained that he prefers “chaos over organisation” and is a firm believer in counter-pressing.

His teams look to win the ball high up the pitch and attack immediately. Rather than slowing play down, they seek to create pressure and force opponents into mistakes.

It is a style that feels tailor-made for Anfield.

Supporters have always responded to intensity and commitment, and Iraola’s Bournemouth side embodied both. They were fearless, energetic and uncomfortable to play against.

Liverpool’s squad appears well suited to those demands. Players such as Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch possess the athleticism and technical quality required to thrive in a high-energy system.

The biggest challenge will be scaling those methods to one of Europe’s elite clubs.

At Bournemouth, Iraola often had a full week between matches to prepare his side. At Liverpool, he would be juggling Premier League, Champions League and domestic cup commitments, often playing every three or four days.

Those who know him describe a meticulous coach who pays close attention to detail and routine. Whether those routines can be adapted to the demands of elite-level football remains one of the key questions.

Yet Liverpool’s hierarchy clearly believe the rewards outweigh the risks.

Iraola has improved every club he has managed and repeatedly exceeded expectations. Hughes and Michael Edwards are betting that, with better players and greater resources, he can take the next step.

More than anything, they believe he can bring back the intensity that once made Liverpool one of the most feared teams in Europe.