Andoni Iraola has become the first domino to fall in the managerial season, but his arrival at Man Utd will only have one outcome.
The winds have changed around Michael Carrick at Man Utd, and expectedly so, because nuance is lost when discussing things about this club.
The 2-1 loss to Leeds, at Old Trafford no less, is now followed by news of Andoni Iraola leaving Bournemouth at the end of the season.
It has led to raging rumours about how he could be of interest to Man Utd, but that move will only end one way, in despair, because of three reasons.
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Where does Andoni Iraola rank for you among Michael Carrick alternatives?
Would you want Iraola at Old Trafford, now he is ready for a new challenge?
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1- Andoni Iraola has a Michael Carrick-like limitation
Generally, being compared to Carrick is not a death sentence for a prospective Man Utd manager, but Iraola has Carrick’s limitation.
Both managers don’t seem to have a Plan B when Plan A doesn’t work; the difference is that their Plan A is different.
While Carrick likes a mid-block, transition, and combination play strategy, Iraola is all about high-intensity, forcing turnovers, and outworking the opposition.
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The problem with Iraola’s style is that it is not conducive to having the ball, because if you have the ball, then you can’t force turnovers.
It’s why Bournemouth play well in games when they are the underdogs, but often struggle against teams they are expected to beat.
Does that remind you of anyone? It’s exactly the question Carrick is facing.
2- Questions over the “edge” needed to manage Man Utd
Iraola can walk into the Bournemouth dressing room and immediately command respect, but managing Man Utd is a different beast.
The Spaniard has been a good tactician, but there are doubts over his ability to transition that style from an underdog like Bournemouth to a behemoth like Man Utd.
There are shades of what Thomas Frank realised when he walked into Tottenham and left the underdog tag behind at Brentford.
You need to have a certain charisma and edge to manage Man Utd, because it’s as much an ambassadorial role as it is a tactical one.
It’s impossible to say this with certainty, but Iraola could easily become overwhelmed by the size of the job and the responsibilities it entails within a month of starting.
3 – The squad demands and the European question
Iraola’s Plan A can bring about some thrilling, high-octane football, but the flipside is that it demands a lot from the players.
Is Michael Carrick the right man? United have only won one of the last four games…
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United will effectively be going back to the Ruben Amorim style of wanting to physically overwhelm the opponent by outworking them.
That can work in smaller leagues where you’re the favourite against most teams (Sporting in Portugal), or when you’re playing just one game every week (Bournemouth).
However, when neither of those things is true, that style of football can easily see the players break down under the demands.
Don’t be surprised to see a glut of injuries upon Iraola’s arrival that could derail the season before it begins, especially because he’ll go from managing Bournemouth to managing in the Champions League.
United can’t buy a whole new depth in the squad in one window, and Iraola might not last long enough to oversee another transition after a failed one under Amorim.
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