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This week we look at how Andoni Iraola turned Bournemouth from relegation candidates to European challengers in just over twelve months. Sign up to get more posts like this, plus exclusive analysis, insights and weekly transfer conversations straight to your inbox.
What’s going on here then?
Imagine having to integrate four or five new first-team players after losing some of your most influential stars, all while maintaining good form so you can challenge at the top of the table.
Difficult, as Arne Slot experiences. But not so much for Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth, who are in second place and look like they belong there.
We’ve been here before, remember Nottingham Forest?
The Cherries and Evangelos Marinakis’ ego machine at Nottingham Forest are very different.
Forest shocked everyone last season with their sudden transformation from chaotic relegation battlers to reliable top six challengers (and now back again), while Bournemouth’s rise has been steadier but just as surprising.
And it hasn’t been easy either. When Iraola arrived in the summer of 2023, he failed to win a league match in his first nine attempts, but was given time to perfect his system.
Since then, Bournemouth slowly became one of the most entertaining sides in the league, but also one of the worst to play against, with their aggressive pressing and direct style ruffling more than a few feathers.
Can Bournemouth qualify for the Champions League this season?
Why not? With just three defeats in their last seventeen games dating back to April, Bournemouth have momentum on their side.
They are also one of the few top half players not playing in Europe this season. The extra rest allows them to take advantage of any tired legs around them. Pray for the full-back who will have to defend against Antoine Semenyo after a midweek trip to Eastern Europe.
Injuries to key players would take the wind out of Bournemouth’s sails, with Semenyo’s fitness particularly important for future success.
But the excellent form they achieved in the second half of last season came as several key players, such as Tyler Adams and Marcos Senesi, missed a number of games.
In Iraola they have an adaptable manager who this year added the ability to control games to their usual chaotic style.
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How long before someone poaches Iraola?
Looking at the progression of both Liverpool and Chelsea’s seasons, this could be sooner rather than later.
Liverpool are unlikely to leave Slot anytime soon, but increasingly inconsistent press conferences and Enzo Maresca’s inconsistent form could push Chelsea to get happy.
But Iraola could do well to learn from Graham Potter, the latest newcomer to jump from an overachieving club to Stamford Bridge. He is now back in Sweden after a disastrous spell at West Ham.
A more attractive option for him could be to wait until Pep Guardiola decides to leave Manchester City, whose move to a more direct playing style this season looks like a side gearing up for change.
Iraola’s contract expires next summer and the Bournemouth hierarchy will be desperate to keep him.
Should Andoni Iraola leave Bournemouth?
Yes, he needs to make a move while his stock is high
Not yet, he has to wait for the right job
No, he should stay at Bournemouth for a few years
Owner Bill Foley was in the stands during the home win against Forest last weekend. His presence has given fans renewed hope that a deal can be done for their manager.
However, the stars could be focusing on a move north, with Guardiola exuding a Jurgen Klopp vibe amid rumors this could be his last season at the Etihad.
For his part, Pep has been full of praise for his compatriot since his arrival.
Apart from Mikel Arteta, it’s hard to argue with the fact that Iraola is the best manager in the league right now.
And a win for the Cherries on Sunday would be another step closer to a magical season.
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