Liverpool fans will be getting something they've wanted for a long time if Andoni Iraola is handed the reins as Arne Slot's successor
Andoni Iraola the head coach / manager of Bournemouth alongside Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Vitality Stadium
Andoni Iraola will introduce a drastic change on one particular policy if he takes over as Liverpool boss(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Andoni Iraola is almost certain to ramp up the intensity at Liverpool in the event he succeeds Arne Slot as manager. That means less vacation time between games for players in a change that will be welcome by many fans.
It was a hallmark of sacked Slot's regime that he would grant players and staff alike plenty of rest days when they became available. However, Iraola seemingly has the opposite mindset when it comes to commitment during the season and can go weeks at a time with no days off.
During an appearance on In The Mixer back in April, ex-Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo revealed the changes Iraola implemented after his 2023 arrival. It clearly paid dividends in the end, though players were at first taken aback by the lack of time off under his regime.
"The way he structured the weeks, we didn’t really have any days off, nothing," said the Ghana international. "It’s very hard going from having Wednesday and Sunday off to having no days off.
"We would play on the Saturday, train on Sunday. The players that were in the starting XI would do like the first maybe 30, 40 minutes of the session, so you’re hanging, your legs have gone. You’re doing the possession, you have to run around, you’re thinking, ‘Oh, dear!’
"Even now, it hasn’t changed, some of the boys are like, ‘No day off this week again’ in the group chat. It still hasn’t changed!"
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Intensity was a word often associated with Jurgen Klopp's methods during his trophy-laden spell at Anfield. However, that dropped off considerably following Slot's arrival at the club in April.
This clearly wasn't seen as a major concern after he collected the Premier League and almost won the quadruple during his first season at the helm. However, excessive rest time was speculated as an issue during his sophomore campaign as levels dropped off.
In opposite fashion, Iraola started slowly at the Vitality Stadium and was close to being sacked himself at the start of his tenure. However, that investment in training field minutes bore fruit over time as Bournemouth climbed up the table.
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield
Axed Liverpool boss Arne Slot has in the past been criticised for both giving and taking too much time off(Image: Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
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Liverpool players were often seen jetting away for vacation time when granted brief breaks over the course of this past season. Even Slot incurred the wrath of some fans for holidaying in Ibiza and Dubai too often when Liverpool had time off.
Many supporters will be glad to see more rigorous methods return to the club if he is appointed the next boss. The Basque coach is the overwhelming favourite to be given the keys at Liverpool after leaving Bournemouth this summer.
A more promising end to the season saw Liverpool rescue their form to qualify for the Champions League after finishing fifth domestically. However, fans will hope Iraola is capable of making the step up to title contention in what would be by far the biggest appointment of his career to date.
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