Andoni Iraola has outlined the philosophy that will guide his tenure as Liverpool head coach, emphasising the power of the collective over the individual. Speaking during Liverpool's pre-season tour in Chicago, Iraola attributed the success of Spanish and Basque coaches to a deep-rooted sense of teamwork.
Basque and Spanish coaching dominance
The Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, European Championship and World Cup are all currently held by Basque or Spanish coaches. Next season, four managers from the small Basque region of Gipuzkoa – Iraola, Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Unai Emery – will lead four of the Premier League's main contenders. Iraola believes the explanation lies in a collective approach.
“I always say that a sense of collectiveness is very important,” Iraola said. “Spain has never had the best athletes. If you analyse in swimming, boxing, track and field, Spain don’t normally win medals. But in collective sports they are very good. In football, basketball, handball, hockey, normally they have good teams. We always put the team first. An example is someone like Rodri. He didn’t score or make an assist but at the end they won the World Cup and he won best player of the tournament. Team-first was always integrated in how we were raised.”
Iraola’s humility and approach
Iraola declined to discuss a letter he sent to Liverpool in 2014, when as Athletic Club captain he rejected a move to Brendan Rodgers’s team. “I don’t know if I want to tell this story so early in my career here,” he said. “I would like to win some games first. It is a nice story but if you remember me in some months, then you can ask me again. I don’t like to do this from the beginning. I just don’t want to. It will look like I am selling myself. We need some time, and to win some games.”
“Don’t become the protagonist,” he added, describing his role. He continued: “I think there has to be something in society. It cannot only just be about football. I think things work when we are not just selfish, no? When, in the end, you prioritise the situation of the one who has less. That happens also in football. The ones that don’t play, the ones who come from the academy, the ones who earn less. You can compare it with society.”
Rebuilding team spirit at Liverpool
Iraola acknowledged that last season under Arne Slot showed few signs of togetherness, with individual interests taking over. “I cannot change the personality of the players,” he said. “Some players are very different to me but they are great players. I don’t want to change everyone and what they think is the best way. But I think we need to think collectively in this game. As a player you are always selfish. You always want to play, you always want to get your stats, you always want to play all the minutes, but I think there has to be an understanding that this is not going to always happen and still I have to be helpful with my teammates and with the team.”
He stressed the importance of supporters identifying with the team’s effort. “The first thing we have to do is try to play well, but it’s not just only about playing well. Supporters have to identify with what they see on the pitch. Sometimes it’s not about just putting one ball in the top corner. A lot of the time, the ones watching the game, OK, they cannot do that but they can run, they can fight for the balls, they can press, they can fight until the last line for every situation and when they see this from the players of their team it’s easier to get behind that team. I will encourage my team to give them these things.”
Parallels with Athletic Club
Iraola never came close to signing for Liverpool 12 years ago despite efforts from Michael Edwards. “I never really wanted to leave Athletic Club,” he said. “For me, Athletic Club was the place to be. The only way of leaving was to go to the MLS and try something completely different. I didn’t want to become a problem for the club.”
He sees similarities between his boyhood club and Liverpool. “This is one of the biggest clubs in the world and, in some way, the comparison to Athletic Club probably isn’t fair, but in a lot of ways I see a lot of similar things. This sense of belonging, of being a little bit different. This connection, also, with players from the academy. The atmosphere of Anfield.”
Transition from Bournemouth
Iraola described his departure from Bournemouth as “very, very clean” and said he only started considering his next step after the season ended. The process of becoming Slot’s replacement “was actually quite fast”. He said: “Honestly. It was true that I was talking with some clubs. I think it was the first or second week after the season ended. But it happened fast. They contacted me, and it didn’t take a lot to say yes to Liverpool this time.”
Liverpool fans have already created a song in his honour, set to the tune of Christy Moore’s Viva la Quinta Brigada. Iraola was astonished when told. “A new one?” he asked. “For me it is a strange situation because I always understand that football is about the players. At the beginning when I arrived in England, I remember the first few games I didn’t go with the players to clap the supporters after games. Tommy and Shaun said I should join in. In Spain, normally you leave it to the players; they are the ones who have played the game and we are the ones who stayed behind. In England, managers are the ones who go to the fans, so I have done it every time.”
“These are the cultural things you have to learn when you arrive in a new league. But I always say we are assistants to the players. They are the main part. Our main thing is to help them and they are the only ones who can give us success. We are not as important as they are, that is pretty clear.”
