Why Liverpool want Andoni Iraola and what he will bring to Anfield

One of the key reasons Liverpool parted ways with Slot was his style of play, with lacklustre performances stirring boos from the Anfield crowd in his final term.

Hughes saw first-hand how toxic the home atmosphere was when he attended Liverpool‘s 1-1 draw against Chelsea in May.

“Intensity is our identity” was the phrase coined by Pep Lijnders, Jurgen Klopp’s assistant, during their time at Anfield. But this campaign Liverpool stumbled their way into the Champions League.

“The last 10 games of last season, and for the majority of this season, we haven’t looked like Liverpool. The style has been difficult to watch at times,” Steven Gerrard told TNT Sports. “I think his [Iraola’s] style would suit Liverpool,” he added.

Liverpool need someone who commands his team to play with energy to bring the joy back to Anfield.

Iraola’s style is based on high pressing and rapid and direct play. In 2023, Iraola told The Sunday Times, external that he prefers “chaos over organisation” and loves “gegenpressing” [counter-pressing].

“It’s a matter of how much do you want to risk the ball. I tell players whenever you recover it, your first look has to be not even to the No 9, but the keeper. Can you score?” he said at the time.

The question is not only whether Iraola can implement that style at Liverpool but whether it can be done every few days, with the challenges of European football.

Those close to Iraola say he is meticulous with routine, so it will be interesting to see how things change when he no longer has a whole week to prepare for a game.