How Andoni Iraola is reshaping Liverpool after Arne Slot
Andoni Iraola has quickly stamped his authority on Liverpool by leading training sessions himself, holding fewer meetings than under Arne Slot, and moving his family to Formby—signaling a hands-on, locally rooted reset as the Reds open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at Newcastle. After Slot's reign unraveled and Liverpool finished fifth last season, Iraola's understated off-pitch style and high-intensity on-grass coaching mark a deliberate break from the Dutchman's final months.
According to The Athletic, staff often find Iraola's plush Kirkby office empty; he prefers the coaches' room next door with lieutenants who followed him from Bournemouth. Players report fewer, shorter meetings than under Slot, with most instruction delivered on the training pitch.
Key Takeaways
- Iraola leads sessions personally and favors grass-over-meetings coaching versus Arne Slot's more meeting-heavy approach.
- He and his coaching staff live in Merseyside, including a Formby home like Klopp and Rodgers before him.
- Pre-season emphasized pressing, competitive drills, and quicker ball movement, though defensive frailties persist.
- Liverpool still need wide attackers and squad depth before the September 1 transfer deadline.
- ESPN projects a fourth-place finish; Iraola faces his first Champions League season as head coach.
How is Iraola's day-to-day leadership different from Arne Slot's?
Where Slot was criticized for living in Greater Manchester and holding longer team meetings, Iraola keeps a low profile off the pitch and relays ideas through training. Sources tell The Athletic that players notice far fewer meetings during a grueling six-week pre-season.
Left-back Milos Kerkez, who worked under Iraola at Bournemouth, says the boss stays professional and emotionally controlled in the locker room while showing passion on the sidelines. Iraola also waits until the day after matches for debriefs, unlike Slot's immediate post-broadcast address.
Why does living in Formby matter for Liverpool?
Slot's distance from Merseyside became a symbolic stick during Liverpool's title defense collapse. Iraola and his family have moved into Formby, 13 miles north of Liverpool city centre—the same town where Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers lived.
All current coaching staff are now Merseyside residents, a shift sources describe as significant. Training starts around noon after players arrive at Kirkby near 9:30am, with Dominik Szoboszlai telling reporters the intensity Liverpool "have been missing" is back.
Can Iraola deliver results with an incomplete squad?
Transfer business remains unfinished. Iraola told reporters in July Liverpool "definitely need to sign a winger," and Mohamed Salah's departure to Trabzonspor still leaves a gap. Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh remain targets as Liverpool hope to add two wide attackers before deadline day.
Defensive injuries forced a Ronald Araujo loan from Barcelona; Jeremy Jacquet and Araujo have had minimal minutes ahead of the Newcastle opener. Streaming & TV alerts will track how broadcasters cover Iraola's first Premier League season and Champions League debut.
ESPN predicts fourth place and Champions League qualification, calling a title push unlikely in year one. Al Jazeera notes Iraola acknowledged players could not yet sustain his high-intensity style for a full 90 minutes during preseason.
What early signs suggest Iraola can revive Liverpool?
There is optimism around Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz operating closer together, with Wirtz viewed as a No. 10 rather than shunted around the pitch. Szoboszlai's new five-year deal and vice-captain role underline his growing influence.
Friendlies showed improved attacking tempo, though Liverpool faded late and remain vulnerable out of possession and on set-pieces. With Fenway Sports Group selling roughly 38 percent to a Jeff Bezos-backed consortium, uncertainty lingers upstairs—but on the grass, Iraola's injection of positivity after a dire 2025-26 offers Liverpool fans something Slot's final months could not.