Andoni Iraola takes over as the new Liverpool manager after the dismissal of Premier League winner Arne Slot.
Liverpool finished 5th in the Premier League last season following a successful season where Arne Slot led the Reds to win their 20th English Premier League trophy.
The departure of Luis Dias, Darwin Nunez, and the demise of Diogo Jota paved the way for the arrival of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Milos Kerkez as Arne Slot looked to build upon the squad he inherited from Jürgen Klopp.
Finishing 5th in a season where the Reds had invested hugely in new players was considered abysmal by Liverpool fans and a lot of football pundits.
Despite Slot's optimism of staying on as a Liverpool coach for the season ahead, sporting director Richard Hughes and the CEO of football Michael Edwards decided to take a different direction by sacking the Dutch manager.
Having previously worked with Richard Hughes at AFC Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola was seen as the ideal candidate to succeed Arne Slot at Anfield despite links suggesting that Liverpool were considering hiring Sebastian Hoeness of Stuttgart.
Speaking to the media after signing in as the new Liverpool manager, Iraola expressed his delight at being allowed to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world and also spoke of his readiness to take up the job.
Andoni Iraola: “I am really excited, really excited. Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world”.
“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club. You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted to Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool”
“But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles. I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start”.
“I think Liverpool gives me the chance to coach top players, and top players give you the chance to fight for titles. To win titles. Obviously, when you arrive at a place, you cannot promise everything. You cannot promise. But I indeed understand where I’m coming from and what is expected.”
“I’ve been on the other side – I still remember the goal [Federico] Chiesa scored at the end of the first game of the season!
“We were there with 2-2 thinking that we probably could take something. He scored and the place erupted. It was crazy, no? I want to feel this now from the other side.
“At 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 to belong. I want to do this as quickly as possible so I can also celebrate with them and I can be properly part of those celebrations.
“For me, football is about emotions. About passion.
“I’m quite cool-headed probably, during my life quite rational, I would say. But it’s true that when the game starts, when you have to celebrate a goal, something is inside, no?
“I 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.”
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Reviewed by Ayeyi Bruce
on
June 04, 2026
Rating:
