Will Andoni Iraola be a success at Liverpool? Well, the 44 year old has a massive task on his hands, taking over a squad in transition, while the team needs to be reconfigured, following last season's fifth place finish. The Spaniard did an excellent job during three seasons at Bournemouth, with the Cherries finishing 12th, ninth and sixth, thereby qualifying for Europe for the first time ever.
However, one of the bizarre trends in the Premier League is how few managers are able to make the jump from succeeding at a mid-table club and translating that to one of England's elite. Liverpool most-recently tried this with Brendan Rodgers, after he guided newly promoted Swansea City to 11th. Whether or not he was a success at Anfield, well opinions are split on that.
More recently, Graham Potter at Chelsea, David Moyes at Manchester United, and Thomas Frank at Tottenham have all got a team to punch above their weight, but then did not last long at an elite club. Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs, having impressed at Southampton, is the sole exception.
Despite this, AFC Bournemouth's all-time record appearance holder Steve Fletcher, who played for the Cherries 726 times, has backed Iraola to be a success on Merseyside. Speaking to Flashscore, this is what Fletcher had to say:
"Losing our manager Andoni was a blow for the football club... I think the Liverpool thing came quite quickly... the opportunity came along, and how could you turn it down, you know? It's one of the biggest clubs in the world... we wish him all the best. "Steve Fletcher
Iraola has been replaced at the Vitality Stadium by Marco Rose, the former RB Salzburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig coach. The 49 year old has a tough ask on his hands, with Bournemouth juggling both Premier League and Europa League commitments for the first time ever.
Fletcher guarantees that Iraola's team will "definitely entertain the crowds", backing Liverpool to play "fast, attractive and aggressive football", given that the Basque manager likes to "press from the front" and create "a bit of the chaos in the middle of the park".
When asked if Iraola will be a success at Liverpool, and what he needs, this is what Fletcher had to say:
"100% he can [succeed]. The players have got to buy into what he wants to do, and he needs to get off to a good start. If you get results, players believe in you, and when they believe in you, they play at their best... you get off to a good start as a new manager, players buy into your philosophy.... he will be expected to compete [for trophies]. "Steve Fletcher
With a squad that is still under construction, Iraola's first competitive game in charge is coming up on Sunday; the Reds take on Newcastle United at St James' Park. So, will he get off to a winning start on Tyneside? Well, that could very much set the tone for the rest of the campaign.
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