The boss spoke about the prospect of European qualification, the threat of City and he gave an update on team news - and on the mood in the camp heading into two huge games for the club.
Read every word from the broadcast section of Iraola's press conference below.
Mark McAdam (Sky Sports News): Two games to go, 36 played, unbeaten in 16, just one more point needed to get into Europe. I know whenever this question has been raised before, you've said that this is not realistic for a club like Bournemouth, but it's absolutely real right now. How does that sit with you ahead of the game?
Andoni Iraola: I think we are really close. We are there, but we still don't have it. We need one more point, as you said, and it's not going to be easy. We know this. City are coming in an excellent form after winning another title. They are fighting for the league also. So It's not going to be easy, we know this, but I think we are ready. We arrive in a great place. We have no injuries. Everyone is in a very good mood. We know we'll have to give all we have, but you sometimes play this kind of competitions to play this kind of games, no? And we are really looking forward to the game tomorrow.
MM: If someone had said when you joined the club in the summer of 2023 that you'd take them into Europe, Bill has always been very ambitious and said European football, that's the target, that's the aim. What would you have said?
AI: Yes, Bill, as you said, is probably the most ambitious one here in the building. No, I think everyone else probably is not as optimistic from the beginning, but he was the one more confident. And now we are really close, no? I think it was he said in five years, we are in the third year, I think. We are really close, but there is a big difference being really close and getting it and grabbing it. And we are in this moment where we have to do this final step. It's true that we have two chances, but we want to do it tomorrow. We don't want to arrive to the last day. If we have to arrive, we will, but we Definitely prefer to grab the chance tomorrow.
MM: Were you watching all the games on Sunday? Were you watching the results? Because obviously, you know, Brighton were playing, Brentford were playing, Fulham were playing, everyone was involved. And for Bournemouth fans who were watching as well, the results seemed to go in their favour. You started the day in 6th, you finished the day in 6th.
AI: Yes, we were actually in the training ground. We spent some time also with the families. We were all there together with some of the players are still there after training and watching the games. And the games were there, we were not really paying too much attention, you know, you start like more chit-chatting and, but you know what's happening in other pitches, but at the end the situation hasn't changed really. We needed one point before all those games and we continue needing one point now, so we have to control the things that we can control and it's the two games we have to play. And it's true that other options, other results can go in your favour, but we have to look at our games and we have two chances and the first one is tomorrow. It's not an easy one. We know who we are facing, in the moment they are, how well they are playing. They are playing for the title, yes, but we have our chances. I don't know how many percentages, but there are chances there to try to exploit. And I hope we play with personality. We know we will have to suffer, but enjoy also, you know, in these moments where a team like City is pushing you. But all together, I think we can give them a very good game.
MM: Everything is still on the table. It could be Champions League, could be Europa League, could be Europa Conference League. We've seen what it's done for West Ham. We can see Crystal Palace having a fantastic campaign, Aston Villa the same. In your mind, I know financially things are very different as well because Champions League money is 80+ million, Europa League 25+ and not so much in the Conference League. What would be right for this football club? Because the Champions League is the biggest challenge, but it would be very, very, very difficult. What do you think would be the right type of European competition that would suit Bournemouth next season?
AI: We will try to finish as high as we can. We will not break because, no, it's better maybe Europa League. No, no. The first thing we have in our mind is get some kind of European competition. And once we arrive there, once you have the guaranteed spot, maybe we have more chances to play the next one. That is even better to play the next one. That is even better. But we are not still on that phase. I hope you ask me tomorrow after the game and then we can discuss, no? But right now what we want is is to grab this opportunity and guarantee for this club, for the first time in the history of this club, the chance to play in Europe.
MM: 127 years of history at Bournemouth, never had European football. If you lead them there, would that be your greatest moment in the game?
AI: It would be lovely for me. It would be, I think, the best way to finish, you know, these amazing 3 seasons. Because I think the team has been progressing, especially this year has been really challenging for me as a coach because we've changed a lot the team and we've changed also our, not completely our style, but it's a different type of football from comparing to past season and it would be the best way to end it. Yes, yes.
MM: And tomorrow against Manchester City, your final home game, final opportunity to say goodbye to the fans. When you look back at the 3 years, you look back at the moments, you look back at the stadium and the atmospheres, and for a small stadium, what you've been able to achieve together, will it be emotional for you tomorrow to say goodbye?
AI: Yeah, probably after the game could be emotional. Yes, definitely. The thing is, right now I'm not thinking on those things because the challenge of the game is so big. That you focus on how we can hurt Man City, how we can stop them, thinking all the possible options we have, all the things that they can do. And there is so many things going in your head that probably you are not focusing on the things that are like of the football game.
MM: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City, the ultimate test really in the Premier League over the last 10, 10 years or so since he's been at the football club. They won the FA Cup at the weekend. Did you watch the game? How do you expect them to line up? Obviously they have so much pressure on, on them because they're chasing the Premier League title.
AI: I think they've been incredible, not this year or past year or the last 3 years, no, I think it's almost a decade. They've been doing it and even this season they won the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup the other day. They are in the fight for the domestic treble until the end. So they are an incredible team and I think like they normally do, they found the best combinations, the best form of the players. In the key moments of the season. They are used to do it, and this season has happened the same. Now, if you see the last 10, 11 games they played, they have every— they won everything, one draw against Everton, that's it. So you have to do something special to beat them and win the Audacious.
MM: And one player you'll come up against, someone you know very well, Antoine Semenyo, scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final at the weekend. The player that improved so much under, under you and your staff's coaching. Are you worried about what he can do to you now you know how good he is and you've worked up close and personal with him? Are you surprised to see him have the impact at such a big club at such a big level?
AI: No, I'm not surprised. He's as good as he looks right now. He's a top player. You always have your question marks how long will it take him to adapt a little bit to a new environment. But has been phenomenal since the beginning. I'm very happy for him. I'm enjoying every time. The other day, scoring the goal, we were celebrating also because it was good for us. But I hope, no, he doesn't have the best game tomorrow. There are a lot of threats. We cannot only focus on Antoine. Unfortunately for us, there are threats everywhere when you face City. But he's definitely one of the players that you have to to be ready to, to try to limit in some way.
MM: And just finally for me, Friday, really important meeting for AFC Bournemouth because the planning permission is being put before the council and obviously the opportunity to build more stands, build more seats, improve the facilities, put jobs into the community and really start to create something around this stadium. How important is it that the club takes that next step and that they need the support from the council in this meeting to, to get the planning process completed?
AI: I'm aware about all these situations, no, because I know the club were disappointed a little bit. There have been some delays, you know, and, and I hope, no, everything gets the green light. I think it's this Friday. I wouldn't understand it in any other way because it's so, so good and so beneficial for a city to have this kind of club, this kind of development, apart from the football side, from the business side if you want. And I'm sure everything is going to be fine and the club will be able to continue with the plans that they have that will be really nice. I hope when I come here in 2, 3 seasons now we can see everything finished and it's going to be lovely for sure. Thank you.
Paul Belverstone (Premier League Productions): From team news, you said no injuries. It's a clean bill of health.
AI: Yes, yes, no injuries. Everyone wants to push, wants to play. It's going to be difficult for me to even do the squad and decide the starting 11, the subs and this, but it's good for the team. I think Lu was the last one there, but he has been training normal for us. All the week, so everyone ready.
PB: Expecting Justin to get some minutes?
AI: He was ready even against Fulham. I think we decided not to put him probably because of the 10 against 10, very demanding, a lot of spaces. It's not probably the perfect scenario for him not to play his first minutes, but he was even ready like 10 days ago, so definitely he's ready for tomorrow.
PB: When you were talking about the owner recently, I imagine, because he's so enthusiastic, so ambitious, as you mentioned, can you give us any insight into what he is saying about Europe, the possibility, his excitement about it?
AI: Yeah, sometimes we joke with him, no, because he's, he's been so successful everywhere. Now I think he has also in the, with the hockey, they have important games, so he cannot be everywhere. That's the problem, no, when everything goes so well. But obviously he's as excited as we all are and ready, no, but we still are one step away, you know, of celebrating something.
PB: There are some owners in the football world who would be worried about the financial implications. How on earth are we going to afford this?
Is it pure positivity from Bill around what you're on the verge of achieving?
AI: Yes, I haven't asked him. I haven't asked him about the financial side, but I'm sure that he's not worried about this. I'm sure that he wants to play in Europe next season. It's one of the things that since I came here he has in his mind, and I hope, no, we can We can give him, no, this, this thing. Yes.
PB: And I know you're fully focused on tomorrow's game, but it is your final home game. So as you sit here now, can you tell us, hopefully tomorrow will be the best memory of the time here, but what others are there competing for top spot?
AI: I think we've had such great memories these 3 seasons. I can tell you, I don't know, 10, 12 games straight away that come to my mind, especially against the big clubs, no. And we've had at home, away. But I think tomorrow can be probably the biggest one, no? Because there is a reward there waiting for us. And then the difficulty also of the challenge makes it like even like more special. We know you have to be really, really good, excellent, I would say, to get something against City in these circumstances. And in case that you get it, I think it would be probably the biggest one.
PB: The win last year, how special was that? Can anything from that, as different as City are, can it help going into tomorrow?
AI: I think this one is even more difficult because they are in the last week and fighting for the title. So normally this kind of clubs, they don't normally make mistakes. We will really try tomorrow, eh? But also last season, I think it was after, I don't know, they were coming in an incredible run of form, 30-something games without losing in the league or something crazy. And we beat them. We were the first ones in that moment that we could beat them. So it was really, really special.
Q: When did you start to believe that Europe was a possibility? Did you believe from the very start of the season, or was there a moment where you thought this could happen?
AI: No, I think, I think we analysed after the first half of the season. We finished with 23 points, and I don't think a lot of teams have got Europe after finishing with 23 points the first half of the season. So it was really difficult to imagine in that moment. But it's true that still we haven't lost any, like, second game against any opposition. We still have two more to go, but we've been incredible in the second half of the season. That's why we have the chance now to get it. But probably it has been just the last two, three months where we felt, okay, we might have a chance.
Q: When you announced that you were going to leave at the end of the season. You knew then that Europe was a possibility. But the fact that the Champions League is there, would you regret if Bournemouth go to the Champions League that you're not here for that?
AI: I would be ecstatic if we get this possibility. I would be celebrating for a week, I guarantee you. Even if I'm not going to be here next season. No, I think that in the moment where I took the decision, it was different circumstances. But we were in a very good place also. It was not like 5 or 6 months ago. It was still— we were in a very good run of games, and I didn't take the decision just thinking in the very short term. It was a commitment for more time here, and I think this kind of decision you have to focus more on the mid-long term.