Andoni Iraola gives details of his conversations with Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall | OneFootball

Only months after taking control of the club, the new Bournemouth owner sacked Gary O’Neil and replaced him with Andoni Iraola.

A bizarre sacking, considering Bournemouth had been seen as absolute relegation certainties when O’Neil replaced Scott Parker at the end of August 2022, then proceeded to do a brilliant job and actually got the Cherries to safety with a handful of matches still remaining.

Nevertheless, Andoni Iraola is an interesting choice to replace him.

Spanish managers / head coaches the most numerous of any nationality in the Premier League, whilst Andoni Iraola is a young manager on an upward trajectory.

The former Spain and Athletic Bilbao right-back has done an excellent job at Rayo Vallecano, they are Madrid’s ‘other’ team. Parallels with Bournemouth, as only two La Liga clubs had lower attendances last season, Rayo Vallecano only averaging 12,525 at home.

In his three seasons at the club, Andoni Iraola got the minnows promoted from the second tier in his first season, then has managed impressive mid-table finishes (11th and 12th) in La Liga despite a minimal budget.

Leeds tried to bring him in last season but Rayo Vallecano wouldn’t allow it, no longer under contract the Spanish club could do nothing to stop Andoni Iraola finally moving to the Premier League with Bournemouth.

Eddie Howe is of course a legend at Bournemouth and Andoni Iraola has revealed conversations he had with Howe, when the now Newcastle United manager was in between jobs after leaving the Cherries and toured the UK and mainland Europe, visiting clubs and spending time with their managers, to expand his knowledge and skill set.

Andoni Iraola talking to the Daily Echo about his conversations with Eddie Howe – 5 July 2023:

“We were talking about the game generally, the approach they [Bournemouth] had especially against big teams here in the Premier League.

“Sometimes we were talking about things he tried against Chelsea when they played with a back three and wing-backs.

“We talked about how we faced them and just talked about football, nothing very detailed. Some exercises, some things that are probably different here than we do in Spain. But overall, talking about the game.

“That is very helpful because I have to learn a lot of things.

“In Spain, players probably are used to working one way, certain things we do differently. Here I have to learn as quick as I can.

“The staff that was already working for the club will be very valuable for me. I have been working with them very closely, they are fantastic guys and they will help me a lot.

“Everyone here [at Bournemouth] talks about Eddie, that’s a sign he did a lot of very, very good things here in Bournemouth.

“I am happy that he has been very successful also now in Newcastle.”

Andoni Iraola also revealing that he’d had a much more conversation with Eddie Howe’s right hand man, Jason Tindall:

“I spoke with Jason Tindall, he is here on holidays still. They [Newcastle United] haven’t started training.

“We talked a little bit about the club, the players, he knows the players very well.

“But I also want to come here a little bit with an open mind.

“You want to have the information but a lot of times not so much so you can also take your own decisions and look at the things for yourself.”