Bournemouth sack Gary O’Neil and name ex-Leeds target Andoni Iraola as new head coach | OneFootball

Gary O’Neil has left his role as Bournemouth head coach, the Premier League club confirmed in a club statement on Monday.

O’Neil guided the Cherries to Premier League safety last season following the dismissal of Scott Parker at the end of August.

According to a club statement, the appointment of a new head coach will be announced imminently.

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley said: “Gary’s achievement last season is one I will always be grateful for.

“This has been a difficult decision, but it has been made with great consideration to best position ourselves ahead of the coming season.”

O’Neil initially took over from Parker on an interim basis following a 9-0 thrashing at Liverpool before being appointed permanently in November.

The 40-year-old took 36 points from his 34 top-flight games in charge to help the Cherries avoid relegation following promotion from the Championship.

“As a club, we have put plans in place for long-term success with improvements being made to infrastructure, most notably the development of a new state-of-the-art training facility and the ongoing discussions around upgrades to our stadium,” continued the statement from American Foley, who completed his takeover of the south-coast club in December.

“We have also identified a number of significant targets in the transfer market this summer and believe this change in direction will provide us with the best platform from which to build.

“Gary will go on to have a long career as a head coach or manager, but we feel that, at this moment in time, a change is in the best interests of this football club.”

Bournemouth confirmed the appointment of Andoni Iraola later on Monday.

Iraola was linked with a move to Leeds United earlier this year and was available following the expiry of his Rayo Vallecano contract.

The Spaniard has signed a two-year contract at the Vitality Stadium after leading Vallecano to an impressive 11th-place finish in La Liga last season.

“We’re so excited to welcome Andoni to the club,” Bill Foley told the club’s official website. “With his contract in Spain coming to an end this summer we wanted to act quickly.

“He was highly sought after by other clubs across the continent, and his style of play has been an important factor in making this decision. His achievements in Spain have certainly been very impressive, and we’re confident that he is the right man to lead our next chapter.

“We have identified a number of targets in the transfer market, which along with our January additions will supplement our strong playing squad to give Andoni the best chance to consolidate our Premier League status and keep progressing.”