New Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola insists he’s ready to fight as a Premier League “underdog” as he turned the most recent Gipuzkoa-born boss to handle in England.
Iraola was appointed as Gary O’Neil’s successor at the Vitality Stadium final month, following within the footsteps of Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery and Julen Lopetegui; his managerial counterparts who all hail from the identical small province in northern Spain.
The 41-year-old performed in the identical youth group as Arteta and likewise has a relationship with former Bournemouth supervisor – and present Newcastle boss – Eddie Howe, who beforehand travelled to Madrid to examine Iraola.
Iraola spent three years in cost at Rayo Vallecano, main the membership into LaLiga earlier than conserving them within the top-flight for the following two seasons earlier than departing for Bournemouth.
“When you start the season with the sense of being the underdogs, we have to gain a little bit of respect from the league,” he stated.
“It is fairly related (to Spain) due to the stadium being not so massive or the membership not having perhaps the historical past – however we have now to use this to our benefit and I’m used to this in Spain with Rayo and Mirandes.
“For me this was a fantastic alternative, it’s the Premier League and proper now for certain it’s best league on the earth.
“We knew the membership, now I’ve seen new faces, identified new individuals, I’m certain it’s the proper alternative for me and I hope I could be at the extent.
“I’m actually grateful and the welcome has been very, very good. We know Eddie, he was in Madrid visiting us and we all know (former Bournemouth supervisor and Howe’s assistant) Jason Tindall and we had talked beforehand about Bournemouth.
“Obviously everyone here talks about Eddie, that is a sign he did a lot of very, very good things here in Bournemouth, I am happy he has been very successful now in Newcastle but every coach has his own ideas.”
While he goes nicely again with Arsenal boss Arteta, Iraola has not felt the necessity to rekindle his relationship together with his former team-mate.
“Mikel I do know him, we performed collectively after we had been 9 or 19 years outdated, we form of misplaced the connection.
“We know that when we meet we will hug and talk about a lot of things. We haven’t maintained the relationship – I could call him right now but…”
Emery, too, has not had a telephone name however Iraola holds the Aston Villa coach in excessive regard and stated: “I feel I’m not, I’m not on his degree as a result of he has proven plenty of issues earlier than, he has been actually profitable virtually in every single place.
“He is very good as a coach. We have spoken sometimes but I haven’t talked with him (since getting the Bournemouth job).”
Iraola may be very a lot head coach in each approach, insisting he “shouldn’t be signing the players” and is as a substitute eager to get to know his squad and problem them to play within the model he desires to implement.
“I don’t like the game to be too controlled,” he added.
“We attempt to assault as quickly as we are able to, we open the sport and have a great quantity of probabilities and crosses.
“Sometimes you will suffer at the back but you have to be ready, we have good defenders, also.”
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