Andoni Iraola talked about his planned departure from Bournemouth.
The Basque was brought to the south coast in the summer of 2023 after he had excelled as the boss of Rayo Vallecano. A slow start to the 2023/24 season saw the Cherries sit in 18th place by the start of November, but a comfortable mid-table finish set the tone for progress during the next two years.
Last campaign, **Bournemouth**experienced a number of high points with 'Big Six' scalps. They did the double over Arsenal, also defeating **Tottenham**and Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium before battering Manchester United 3-0 at **Old Trafford**for the second year in a row. Even though the team tailed off in March and April, they ended the year in 9th position in the Premier League, registering a record-breaking 56-point tally.
‘The decision was not about any other club’
Building on success despite key departures
This season, the side lost Kepa Arrizabalaga, three members of their preferred back four and Antoine Semenyo, expected to drop off the brilliant pace from the winter of 2024. Yet, they sat second in the table by the end of October, then bounced back from a two-month winless streak to record their longest unbeaten run in the topflight, confirmed with a 2-1 triumph over the Gunners.
Everything seems to be going swimmingly for the Cherries, who will part ways with Iraola begrudgingly. But Iraola made it clear that he did not want to spoil the good thing he has forged.
"It has been a decision that has taken me a lot of time to take, it has not been a clear decision. Always during this process this season I have been talking to the club about all the situations. They were aware that this could happen.
"There is not always one main reason, I think that the decision I have taken is because probably I don't want to risk the feeling I have right now of satisfaction of these three seasons. You try to envisage yourself in a possible fourth or fifth season and everything costs more.
"We as human beings we get tired of watching always the same face and I suppose I have decided that this was the right moment to put an end to this journey, which for me has been really, really special.
"I think the club is in a great place. I have things in this club that I will not find anywhere else. I come every day to work here with a smile and this is very valuable for me, but as managers you learn.
"You have experience as a player because you have a lot of managers who have to choose very well when to start, where to start. It is not a decision that I had super clear. I am not going to convince you because it has taken me this season. Sometimes I have been thinking 'oh definitely I am going to stay here'. Other times I have been thinking 'I am not going to continue here'.
"It is a matter of feeling and there is a moment where you have to take the decision and this is the decision I have taken. I prefer to make the mistake of thinking maybe I could have stayed one year more rather than thinking I have stayed one year too much.
"There is a small margin you are playing with, and it is what it is.
"At the end this is football. I have had other decisions that were more important in terms of my life but it is true that this is a decision that has cost me a lot and I have had moments thinking one thing and at other moments thinking the other thing. But there is a moment, you know?”
"I was talking with the club all of the season and we have been very open and I think it definitely hasn't been a surprise for them and I think they are very well prepared for this situation, but it has been difficult, yes.
"The decision was not about any other club, there was no other club involved - it was about either continuing here or not continuing here.
What comes next for Iraola
"I don't know what I want to do next season. I don't know if I am going to coach a team, a club. I don't know if I am going to coach an international team. I don't know if I am going to coach in this continent. I have no idea what is going to happen.
"I don't know if you are going to believe me, but it is the truth. And also I don't have any rush to want to know it. I have taken a big decision for me, now I want to focus on what we have in this moment. These next six games are massive for us.
"There is going to be time to think [later] if we are going to have to think on something else."
"I like short-term contracts because I want to feel these things. It's not the same situation you had one year ago than the one you have here.
"We really started discussing in December and I would say that I told them it was not about a negotiation. If we negotiated it was going to be this and we were going to agree the deal, but it was not about this, it was about the feelings we had in that moment.
"Later in the season we decided to let the [transfer] window go, to do our job, to do the season properly and we have been talking this month and we have decided to say it now because we think it is the best moment.
"You don't want to say too early because it can affect the performance of the players, although I think it shouldn't. And we have decided now because I think that it is the moment that if you do not say it now because everyone is talking too much.
"This is the moment we have decided is now. If we had lost against Arsenal 5-0 it was going to be the same day and the same time and the same announcement."