What AFC Bournemouth can expect from Andoni Iraola

Having been appointed as the club’s new boss on June 19, the highly-rated young coach will meet his squad on Saturday, before training begins in earnest on Monday.

Tipped for a big career in the game, linked with a move to Leeds United last season, the former Rayo Vallecano boss and Athletic Bilbao legend now makes the step into the Premier League.

Many Cherries fans are unfamiliar with both the name and work of Iraola.

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To find out what could be in store this season, we spoke with Madrid-based sports writer Robbie Dunne.

A former season ticket holder at Rayo Vallecano, he has previously written a book about the club, entitled Working Class Heroes, as well as observing closely Iraola during his time in Spain.

Robbie also specialises in tactical and data analysis, writing for Opta Analyst and, following Rayo’s memorable victory over Barcelona last season, dedicated an episode of his La Pausa podcast to discussing the workings of Iraola and his team. He can also be found on Twitter.

Here is the insight he has provided to us on what Iraola can bring to Cherries.

Andoni Iraola will be Bournemouth’s first overseas manager and is a name many in this part of the world know little about – could you give a brief overview of the style of football the fans here could expect to see next season? 

He plays a very high pressing style with very specific instructions for each of his players within that system.

He also loves to play wingers out wide who are targeted often, which makes them very vertical.

He says he wants his games to always have two directions, which means even if it feels like the other team is on top, Iraola’s sides get chances.

You often got this feeling when he was at Rayo even against the bigger teams. They never just bunkered down and stopped attacking even when leading. The opposition always has to “worry about us” is what he says.

How easy do you feel it will be to replicate what Iraola has done previously, in the Premier League? Will the fans need a bit of patience?

It kind of just became accepted truth that these players (at Rayo) were really good but the truth is that Iraola coached up these players and turned them into semi superstars.

Isi (Palazon, pictured above) was playing Segunda division football and has been knocking on the door of the Spain team. Alejandro Catena was with Reus, who were relegated out of the Segunda, and now he is one of the better centre-backs in La Liga. The list goes on and on.

The Premier League might be competitive but Iraola will almost certainly build a team around his players’ strengths and improve players beyond what even the most optimistic fans might hope for.

Iraola lifted Rayo Vallecano up from the second tier to mid-table in La Liga. How disappointed were supporters to see him leave this summer? Are you surprised he has made this move to Cherries over other potential suitors? 

It felt inevitable really, it was just a matter of time and Rayo generally just enjoy the good times while they last.

It was just about a matter of what jobs were available. Many thought and still think that Athletic Bilbao is where he will end up with his history there as a player. Ernesto Valverde is there now though and probably won’t be going anywhere.

I think it was inevitable that Iraola had to go to a team in the Premier League or else a team fighting for Europe in La Liga. That was the natural progression and the club will probably be eyeing a top half finish in his first season and then who knows?

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Will a specific type of player need to be bought in the transfer market to fit into what Iraola needs to be successful? Or does he have a track record of developing players already at a club to suit his style? On the same theme of transfers, could any of Iraola’s former Rayo Vallecano players be a good fit to follow him over to Cherries? 

Well, he says himself that he plays with a 4-4-2 with a six, an eight and a 10 staggered at different levels of the field.

The six and the eight have to get through a mountain of work and the 10 has to work hard too while being creative.

He needs wingers too that contribute a lot of goals and assists.

He left (striker) Raul de Tomas out in favour of the more industrious Sergio Camello last season because he pressed with more intensity so maybe a number nine who works hard might be someone they target.

Having said that, I don’t see Iraola as being overly idealistic so he will adapt to the squad and improve the player from where they’re at right now into what he thinks they can become.

What is Iraola like as a character? Will we see him running up and down the touchline, berating officials and giving great soundbites in a press conference? Or is he a calmer more methodical thinker?

He looks like a geography teacher but he can be fiery.

He played at Athletic Bilbao and then managed at Rayo, two clubs where tradition and sense of community and belonging are important.

He’s a little less rigid than Marcelo Bielsa but if given the time and room to grow, you might expect something similar to what the Argentine did at Leeds.

He also learned a lot from Bielsa during their time at Bilbao together so they share a lot of the same values both on and off the field.