Andoni Iraola has been appointed the new head coach of Liverpool on a two-year contract. The 43-year-old\u2019s arrival was confirmed just six days after the sacking of Arne Slot.<\/p>\n
Liverpool moved quickly to replace Slot<\/a> with the former Bournemouth head coach after identifying him as the ideal candidate for their preferred playing style and with Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace all vying for the Basque\u2019s services. Other coaches were considered, including Stuttgart\u2019s Sebastian Hoeness and Pierre Sage of Lens, but Iraola was always Liverpool\u2019s favoured option and the only one spoken to about the vacancy.<\/p>\n Speaking to the club\u2019s media channel, Iraola said: \u201cAt the beginning when you arrive at any club, I think you need to kind of prove a little bit yourself. You need to earn the right also to belong. I want to do this as quickly as possible so I can also celebrate with them and I can be part properly of those celebrations.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, football is about emotions. About passion. I\u2019m quite cool-headed probably, during my life quite rational, I would say. But it\u2019s true that when the game starts, when you have to celebrate a goal, something is inside, no?<\/p>\n \u201cI think this inner energy, you need it as a player, you need it as a supporter, you need it as a coach. No better place than Anfield.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked about his ambitions while on Merseyside, he said: \u201cI think Liverpool<\/a> gives me the chance to coach top players, and top players give you the chance to fight for titles. To win titles.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously when you arrive at a place, you cannot promise everything. You cannot promise. But it\u2019s true that I understand where I\u2019m coming and what is expected. I\u2019m ready for the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n Liverpool\u2019s approach for Iraola was led by their sporting director, Richard Hughes, who also appointed him at Bournemouth in 2023 after sacking Gary O\u2019Neil. Hughes and Michael Edwards, chief executive of football for Liverpool\u2019s owners, Fenway Sports Group, had conducted the review into the team\u2019s poor title defence under Slot and concluded a change was necessary to implement a more aggressive, attacking style.<\/p>\n Andoni Iraola (left) leaves Liverpool\u2019s training base after talks with the club hierarchy. Photograph: Peter Byrne\/PA<\/p>\n Formal talks with Iraola and his agent, I\u00f1aki Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez, opened earlier this week and advanced smoothly. Negotiations were helped by Iraola making it clear from the outset that Liverpool were the only club he wanted to join following the expiry of his contract with Bournemouth. Hughes enjoys a close working relationship with Ibanez, who also represents Xabi Alonso. Liverpool did not make an approach for their former midfielder, who was appointed Chelsea manager on 17 May.<\/p>\n Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?Show<\/p>\n In the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. Turn on sport notifications.<\/p>\n If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you\u2019re on the most recent version.<\/p>\n If you don’t have the Guardian app, download it from the\u00a0iOS App Store<\/a>\u00a0on iPhone or the\u00a0Google Play store<\/a>\u00a0on Android by searching for ‘The Guardian’.<\/p>\n Thank you for your feedback.<\/p>\n Iraola arrived on Merseyside on Thursday and has signed a contract that ties him to Liverpool until the end of the 2027\/28 season. While short by Liverpool\u2019s previous standards, the length of the deal is in keeping with how Iraola liked to manage his career at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano. Iraola intends to bring his assistants at Bournemouth, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, analyst Tom Webber and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre with him to Anfield. Elphick and Cooper remain under contract with the south coast club and Liverpool have not finalised any additions to their new backroom team as yet.<\/p>\n Liverpool consider Iraola one of the best coaches available and perfectly suited to evolving the team\u2019s style after the disappointing end to Slot\u2019s Anfield career. They were also attracted by his proven performance in the Premier League, where he improved Bournemouth year-on-year without having the resources of the majority of his competitors and made them an exciting, high-pressing team. His track-record of improving players individually and collectively also appealed, as did his personality and leadership skills.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andoni Iraola has been appointed the new head coach of Liverpool on a two-year contract. 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