On June 19, 2023, a relatively unknown Spanish manager became the first foreign boss of AFC Bournemouth. Fast Vooruit 652 days and that man is no longer unknown. In fact, he is now so familiar – he is one of the most popular prospects in the football world.
In recent weeks alone, he is connected to Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. Last season he came up with the highest points of Bournemouth ever in the Premier League and seems to improve this year, and he did it with style, charisma and a huge piece of modesty.
In case you didn't know who I am talking, it is Bournemouth's head coach Andoni Iraola.
It is really not surprising; He was in the same youth team as Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso, comes from the same Basque region in Spain as Unai Emery and was teammates with Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and David Silva in the twilight years of his play career.
With those ingredients it would be more a surprise if he wasn't very good, right?
But only 18 months after his management career in England, he shows his attributes as a coach in the most challenging competition of all – and people sit up and take knowledge.
He would be the first to say that being linked to the track in Madrid was far from a realistic possibility, but it provided a number of good headlines for a few days.
However, the Tottenham job has more content and can be an interesting proposition for the 42-year-old, depending on the future of Ange Postecoglou in North London. The big question remains – can they possibly have the largest possession of Bournemouth prices away from the south coast?
Possible. But it won't be easy
Bournemouth is just as relaxed as their boss. He is not the type of manager who wants to jump at the first chance; He understands the value of development and time, and he knows that he still has many things to learn.
Bournemouth may just be the right place to do it. But let's be honest, one day he gets his chance to manage a larger club.
But how is Iraola waved in the Premier League with his home -bound “chaos football” and so much of the big batters upset? Well, there is one sentence that is thrown around the dressing room of Bournemouth daily and that is: “Let's make it uncomfortable for them”
It has become an unofficial internal motto. Let's put pressure on every side, do things that they don't like, press them and run to them. Do everything and everything to “make it uncomfortable for them”.
At the moment Iraola seems satisfied. He loves life in Bournemouth and is comfortable with the team he has built.
The cherries have been a surprise package this season until recently, but every team has a blip, even the best.
Even the game with Man City in the FA Cup last weekend was not a walk in the park. This philosophy and style work – Arsenal, Man City, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Spurs and Man United have all been beaten, all saying that it was far from fun.
It is a style that is almost the future of football. It is not about endless passes between the rear four or possession because of the possession. It is intense, it is fast and it is about having as many shots as possible to put pressure on the opposition.
Bournemouth is third when it comes to the number of shots this season, behind only Liverpool and Man City.
It is a pity that the FA Cup -Run van Bournemouth is over; Iraola and the team earned it to achieve something for their season, but it also shows the difference between being good and being the best.
No victory in six is perhaps a small concern, but there is still enough time to create history for the Iraola's club, and perhaps even end with a form of European football for next season. The season still lives very alive despite their recent malaise.
They have shown so much during the campaign, European football is probably what they deserve, but you don't always get what you earn in football. This honest group deserves something – a team that is very together, on and next to the field.
His greatest strength is his ability to get the best out of players. I do not think there is a single Bournemouth player who has not improved among him, everyone has become better, everyone is worth more than what they have paid, and everyone will point out to their stewardship as a key factor in their development.
He has some exceptional young coaches around him who really understand the club and English football, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, who are both destined for great things when their time comes.
It is difficult to choose one player who has seen the sharpest increase in performance. Justin Kluivert will be there. Before Bournemouth he had all played on loan in four different countries in four different seasons.
He has now found a house, a position and established himself as one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League. Iraola has found something that others could not, which is only an example that he has a different football vision than the rest.
He has the habit of moving the positions of players and to excavate something that no one had seen before. Broad men become defensive, strikers become Wingers.
Milos Kerkez, Antoine Semenyo, Dean Huijsen and Ryan Christie – The list really must include everyone because everyone is better than before his arrival.
But it is the most important developments for those players who will attract the attention of owners and sporting directors around the world – they know that their assets will become more valuable under Iraola. That is something that is worth its weight in gold.
But when it comes to going further, will Iraola have to convince that Bournemouth is the place to be? No, he already knows.
The ambition of owner Bill Foley is crystal clear; The club has just moved to their new state-of-the-art training complex, the stadium is being redeveloped to increase capacity, there are always money to improve the team and there are incredible colleagues in commercial and recruitment who work at the club. At the moment for Iraola this is the time to stay.
Foley recently said in an interview that he wanted to talk about a new deal for the boss, but Iraola has only signed short -term agreements. It is the way he likes it, but always says he respects his contracts.
Will that worry Bournemouth? Yes, and most likely no. Their recent follow -up planning has been very good, with everyone who has left, they have had a plan. Sports directors Simon Francis and Tiago Pinto, two more astute operators in the impressive collection of employees of Bournemouth, will prepare for any option, regardless of who leaves.
They understand their model and know that the turnover entails, so it should not be a surprise that a player or even head coach gets the headlines about a possible departure.
There is no doubt that there are players who are leaving this summer, and what hefty profit has been made, but it will be a real test of the structure of the club on how solid this ship is. Can they replace the way they did, and can they convince everyone that the journey is just starting?
Whatever happens this season, European football or not, it is clear that this is a club, ready to compete for Europe. There is a good foot, a wave of optimism and now the football world is watching.
They look with expectations and in football the expectation is where the problem lies.
Comments