Andoni Iraola

June 7, 2026

A belated comment on the appointment of our latest manager Andoni Iraola. He faces a big task coming to Liverpool from Bournemouth where not only are the expectations a mountain higher so too, are the demands. Whether he wants to or not, he’ll be thrust into a spotlight he’s never previously been in and to a club where last season there appeared to be a crisis on the pitch and another one off it.

I’m of the belief that the players he will have at his disposal are quality and we have some quality bubbling below the surface that needs the encouragement I don’t believe was there last season. That will be down to the new boss and, we assume, a new coaching team. If the players respond and any new players settle somewhat better than they did last year then the crisis that was there off the pitch will be removed because as fans we want to see, not just positive results but a positive attitude.

Due to a combination of being knocked flat by something or other plus a total disinterest in international football I wasn’t aware that our Rio Ngumoha was brought on as a second half substitute when England beat New Zealand. To be honest, when I heard England were playing New Zealand, I thought they were talking about cricket. Rio should be starting for Liverpool next season and given Andoni’s work with younger players at his previous locations, maybe he will take Rio to the next level.