Spanish tactician Andoni Iraola is reportedly close to being fired from his role as manager of AFC Bournemouth.
The 41-year-old manager made a name for himself in LaLiga as the manager of Rayo Vallecano where he went toe-to-toe with the biggest names in Spanish and world football. He managed the Madrid-based team from 2020 to 2023 and built them to a level where they could compete for European places at best and comfortable mid-table finishes at worst.
A string of famous results against Barcelona made Spanish media suggest that he be given opportunities at more established LaLiga sides but in the summer of 2023, he chose instead to take up the Premier League challenge. Bournemouth were looking to revamp their squad with a different style of football and the former Athletic Club Bilbao defender was seen as a good start.
AFC Bournemouth struggled to remain in the Premier League this season thanks to a poor start after their promotion back into the top flight last season. Scott Parker, who brought the Cherries back into the top flight, did not last as long as Iraola had until he was given the boot.
With no wins on the board after nine weeks with Iraola, reports have now emerged that the Spaniard could be on his way out. This will make him the first Premier League manager to be sacked in the 2023/24 season, if you ignore the sacking of Julen Lopetegui, who did not make it to Wolverhampton Wanderers’ first league game of the season.
This is almost unprecedented in the English top flight, which has twice broken the record for earliest manager sacking and most managers sacked in a season.
Asked if he was concerned about the safety of his job following his side’s 2 – 1 loss to Wolves over the weekend, Iraola said: “I’m not. Nobody should be concerned about Andoni Iraola, I’m concerned about Bournemouth winning games.”
“It’s like this and it has to be like this.”
“I haven’t talked (to the board), but it’s not a matter of me or my situation. It’s a matter of how can we solve this the best way?”
Iraola’s removal as AFC Bournemouth manager continues to be speculation, however, and it remains to be seen if he will outlast the other managers who have been placed on the chopping block by several sections of the media.
