Andoni Iraola looks very likely to become the next Liverpool head coach after Arne Slot was fired at the weekend, with Antoine Semenyo already having offered some insight into him
08:34, 01 Jun 2026Updated 08:34, 01 Jun 2026
Andoni Iraola during a Bournemouth training session.
Andoni Iraola during a Bournemouth training session.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Former Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has already offered some insight into what Andoni Iraola is like behind the scenes, with the Spaniard looking set to take over from Arne Slot at Liverpool.
Iraola took the Cherries to sixth place this season, meaning they qualified for the Europa League. Bournemouth's roster was torn apart last summer with the likes of Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen leaving, followed by Semenyo in January when he joined Manchester City in the winter window.
But under the guidance of Iraola, Bournemouth continued to progress, and finished strongly even after he announced that he would be leaving. While it went two months without a win between November and January, the south coast side ended the season 19 unbeaten.
"The way he structured the weeks, we didn't really have any days off, nothing," Semenyo told All Out Football. "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 (he was speaking April 2026), 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!
Andoni Iraola during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Man City.
Andoni Iraola during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Man City.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
"But we set up against big teams, playing Man City, Arsenal. It's not like we stay in a mid-block. Everyone's man for man.
"You're thinking, 'We're going to get exposed here,' but once you adapt to it, yeah. You see how Bournemouth won at the weekend [against Arsenal]. That's what it was like for the three years I was there."
While Slot was fired on Saturday, the Dutchman is confident that Liverpool is well set up for the future. Finishing fifth and limping over the line, it qualified for the Champions League.
"Liverpool’s 20th league title belongs to all of us and it will remain an important chapter in its history," he wrote in an open letter to fans published in the Liverpool ECHO. "For that, we should all be proud. This club will always judge itself by the biggest honors. That is how it should be.
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"But I also leave knowing the club is exactly where it belongs: amongst Europe’s elite. Securing Champions League football was an important responsibility and one that ensures Liverpool can continue competing at the highest level next season and beyond.
"I leave with complete confidence in what lies ahead. The players who have given so much to this club, who have upheld its values and helped create so many unforgettable moments, have built foundations that will endure.
"At the same time, a new generation is emerging, ready to write its own story and embrace the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt. Change is part of football, but I know that this club will continue to make its people proud."
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Liverpool.com says: Iraola can implement the kind of intense soccer that the Reds want, but it will be a step up for him at a much bigger club, playing lots more games. He has done well with Bournemouth, but he will need to adapt quickly.