Doubts are starting to emerge around Andoni Iraola's appointment at Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Head Coach Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on September 21, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola is yet to win over some former Liverpool players(Image: AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
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Liverpool are about to be thrust into another summer of transition after a huge week of change. The appointment of Andoni Iraola is something of an unknown to the club and its fans, but that will quickly change as he the new coach settles in.
The 43-year-old Basque has performed wonders with Bournemouth and been touted for a job with an elite club for some time. The former Cherries' coach is expected to bring a direct style to the Reds, more akin to Jurgen Klopp than former boss Arne Slot, who was sacked at the weekend.
Today's Liverpool latest, however, has put a dampener on Iraola's appointment. Three Liverpool legends have expressed doubt that he is the man for the job, giving the club's owners, Fenway Sports Group, and sporting director Richard Hughes, much to ponder.
Jamie Carragher makes Xabi Alonso claim
Reds legend Jamie Carragher believes Iraola may not be the right fit for Liverpool, suggesting new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso would've been the ideal candidate for Anfield.
Speaking on The Overlap ahead of Iraola's appointment, he said: "I would have changed him (Slot) for Xabi Alonso. As soon as he went to Chelsea, I was thinking that I would keep Slot. When I was thinking about Alonso, it was also because he got the best out of Florian Wirtz.
“If you were going to change it, why was it not for Alonso? With Alonso, you have an incredible playing CV, the managers he has been coached by. What he did at Leverkusen. He has managed Real Madrid. I know it didn't go well, but he is used to that pressure and scrutiny.
Jamie Carragher on The Overlap podcast.
Jamie Carragher on The Overlap podcast.(Image: The Overlap // YouTube)
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"If Liverpool chose Iraola over Alonso, it is very worrying for Liverpool. If it is because Alonso wants to play a back three, or his style of play, fair enough. But I am not sure Liverpool has the players to play Iraola's high-pressing game."
Glen Johnson's concerns
Former Liverpool defender Johnson maintains that the Basque coach will have to grapple with a club of Liverpool's stature while getting consistent results on the pitch. He even cited Brendan Rodgers' ultimately ill-fated spell as Reds manager as a comparison.
"There are similarities in the two situations. But I hope it’s not the same process," Johnson said. "Brendan Rodgers came into Liverpool and tried to mimic Jose Mourinho in terms of his training style and mentality, and I don’t think Iraola will be going into Liverpool trying to copy a blueprint for success."
Glen Johnson, the former Liverpool defender
Glen Johnson has spoken about Iraola(Image: The Kick Off)
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Speaking on Iraola making a jump to a big club, Johnson added: “It is something that concerns me. The unknown is always going to be a question mark until he gets his chance to manage an elite club, he has that chance now. No disrespect to Bournemouth, but he is now managing at one of the biggest clubs in world football with some of the best players in the world at his disposal.
“It is going to be a challenge for him to adapt to the pressures, but the club must believe in him, or they wouldn’t have appointed him. There will always be concerns until he proves he can handle it."
Danny Murphy raises transfer question
Reds hero Murphy also expressed unease about the appointment. The former midfielder isn't sure Iraola will be able to smoothly translate his attacking football to Liverpool so easily, claiming the Reds currently do not have the players to pull off his favoured style of play.
Like Johnson, Murphy is also worried Iraola will struggle at a club of Liverpool's size. "He's never managed a club of this size before, and he will be a little bit surprised at how intrusive it will be on his life when you manage Liverpool," Murphy said.
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Richard Hughes, sporting director and Michael Edwards, chief executive of football at Liverpool during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on October 04, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards have been given pause for thought on Liverpool's next managerial appointment (Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
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"Even as a player, that changes overnight because it's one of the biggest clubs in the world and everything you do will be scrutinised and talked about, locally and globally.
"The only other reservation is whether he will be able to play high-intensity football every few days because that will require a certain level of fitness - which we saw with Jurgen Klopp's teams with the flying full-backs, the midfield dynamism and the work-rate of the attackers.
"It's difficult to see how to create that with what he's got at the moment so the summer transfer window is huge for Liverpool in that respect. The current squad lacks legs and dynamism and isn't filled with brilliant players off the ball."
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