Liverpool could hire “the best young coach in the world”

It won’t be long until Liverpool wrap up for the season and FSG conduct their end-of-season review. The Reds will go without silverware this season, but it does appear that Arne Slot will secure passage into the Champions League.

Still, there’s no question that this has been a dismal campaign for last year’s Premier League champions, but their win over Crystal Palace marks three successive league victories, and as was the case during two testing campaigns under Jurgen Klopp (20/21 & 22/23), Liverpool have steadied themselves at the business end.

While the word on the street is that FSG are planning for the 2026/27 season with Slot still in charge, it’s worth remembering that Liverpool’s owners often keep their cards close to their chest before moving.

Slot brought riches to Anfield last year, but football is a fickle game, and it’s fair to say that confidence in his capacity to stage a comeback is thin.

The latest on Liverpool’s manager search

With so many setbacks throughout the campaign, there’s no question that Liverpool will consider Slot’s position in a month. Xabi Alonso is the name on all the supporters’ mouths, but The Athletic’s David Ornstein insisted earlier this month that the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager is not on FSG’s agenda.

Alonso seems like the obvious pick, but Liverpool’s owners often steer away from the well-beaten path, with Slot a surprise candidate to replace Klopp in 2024.

If Liverpool are going to replace Slot, they have to get the whole process right. The Merseysiders can ill-afford another disappointing year after such hefty spending.

Perhaps that’s why Bournemouth’s outgoing head coach, Andoni Iraola, is on the agenda, with reports from earlier in April revealing that the Spaniard is sporting director Richard Hughes’ top target.

Hughes, who is a polyglot, has a close relationship with the powers that be in Bournemouth, having previously overseen football operations at the Vitality.

And with Iraola’s Cherries replacement, Marco Rose, already confirmed, FSG could have a clear shot at one of the most exciting up-and-coming managers in Europe.

Why Iraola could be a better fit than Alonso

There’s no question that Alonso would be an exciting appointment for a Liverpool side searching for first-class form once again. He knows the club well, and his accolades in Germany with Leverkusen are nothing to be sniffed at.

However, Alonso shares with Slot a focus on calculated possession-based football, and whether that’s what fans are pining for now is another matter. Only Manchester City have retained more of the ball than the champions this year.

Iraola would differ, bringing a high-octane intensity that characterised so much of Klopp’s illustrious tenure. He has described his own tactical style as “rock and roll” in the past, not too dissimilar to the “heavy metal football” that Klopp coined his own brand of gegenpressing in the Premier League.

Liverpool would only make headway under Iraola’s wing, though the jury is still out regarding the 43-year-old’s ability to take the step up onto the grandest stage. Still, he has been described as “the best young coach in the world” by Sky Sports’ Sam Tighe.

Iraola has Premier League experience, and that counts for a lot. He understands the English top flight and its inner workings. Moreover, he has turned Bournemouth into one of the most attractive outfits in the country, steering away from the pragmatism that kept them up under Gary Neil and sitting seventh with only four matches left to play.

Bournemouth are in contention to play out in Europe next season, and though Iraola won’t be there to lead them, it is his work that has potentially secured for the south coast side an adventure unlike anything they have been on before.

Choices, choices. Liverpool have not yet made a decision, but fans will hope to see a changing of the guard this summer, and if FSG do acquiesce, Iraola might just be the best fit.

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