Liverpool told five managers to appoint before Iraola for one reason – ‘can we get Guardiola?’ | OneFootball

Liverpool have been told that they should have targeted five alternative managers before turning to incoming boss Andoni Iraola.

On Tuesday, it was widely reported that Liverpool have sealed a ‘verbal agreement’ with Iraola, while respected reporter David Ornstein has revealed the length of his contract and his coaching staff.

The Reds have acted swiftly to appoint a new manager after parting ways with former boss Arne Slot over the weekend, and they have settled on Iraola.

Iraola is deserving of an upward move after guiding Bournemouth into the Europa League, and he has been tasked with re-implementing an exciting style of play at Liverpool.

However, this is a big step up for Iraola and former Reds star Dean Saunders thinks they should have looked elsewhere because “only certain people can manage” the Premier League giants.

“Only certain people can manage Liverpool,” Saunders told talkSPORT.

“If I’m the recruitment team at Liverpool and I’ve sacked Slot, they would have thought that this bloke don’t know how to win games every week.

“For Liverpool it’s a disaster if you draw. At a top club the rules are different. You’ve got to win every single game and you’ve got to know how to do it.

“You think of people who know how to win football matches and know how to take the game to the opposition. They know how to break parking the bus down every week, they know how to do it.”

Ex-Man City boss Pep Guardiola named among five alternatives

And Saunders also listed five elite managers who Liverpool should have targeted instead, though each of these are either out of the club’s reach or would not suit the club’s ethos (Jose Mourinho).

“Liverpool can pay the manager whatever they want. I would think, right we’re going to sack Slot who can we get? Jurgen Klopp, can we get Jurgen Klopp back?” Saunders added.

“What about Pep Guardiola? Can we get Pep Guardiola? Honestly! If we get any of them two, we’re going to win games and leagues.

“Can’t get them. What about [Luis] Enrique? No don’t want to leave PSG.

“What about Mourinho? Proven winner. Not the manager of Bournemouth. He would never manage Bournemouth! None of those managers would manage clubs half way up the league.

“I would go through the list. [Carlo] Ancelotti, would he leave Brazil at the end of the World Cup and come and manage us?

“I would go through that list, before I start going into [Xabi] Alonso, [Steven] Gerrard, Iraola, young managers. I would start with the people who know how to win football matches.”