Andoni Iraola says collective spirit is key to success as Liverpool head coach

Over coffee in a Liverpool hotel in Chicago, Andoni Iraola set out his theory for the success of Basque and Spanish coaches: collective thinking and putting the team first.

The Champions League, the Premier League, the Europa League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the European Championship and, as of Sunday, the World Cup are all currently in the hands of Basque and Spanish coaches, even with Pep Guardiola having left Manchester City. Next season, four men from Gipuzkoa will manage four of the Premier League’s main contenders, including Iraola, Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Unai Emery.

Iraola said the pattern reflects a broader cultural emphasis on teamwork. He argued that Spain has never produced the best athletes in individual sports, but has excelled in collective sports such as football, basketball, handball and hockey. He pointed to Rodri as an example of a player whose contribution went beyond goals and assists.

Despite jet lag at the start of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States, Iraola was warm and careful in his answers. When asked about a letter he sent Liverpool in January 2014, when he rejected a move from Brendan Rodgers’s side while captain of Athletic Club, he declined to tell the story in detail.

After a long pause, he said he did not want to sound as if he were selling himself too early in his Liverpool career. He said he would prefer to win some games first before revisiting the story.

Iraola said his outlook is to avoid becoming the protagonist and to keep attention on the collective. He added that this idea applies beyond football, arguing that societies work better when people are less selfish and prioritise those with less, including players who do not play and younger or lower-paid teammates.

He also said Liverpool need that same spirit after a difficult previous season, when Arne Slot’s reign unravelled amid acrimony in the dressing room and among supporters. He said he cannot change players’ personalities, but wants them to think collectively and to be helpful to their teammates.

The first priority, he said, is to play well, but not only in a technical sense. He said supporters must identify with what they see on the pitch, including effort, pressing and fighting for every ball. He said he will encourage his team to give supporters those qualities.

Iraola never came close to joining Liverpool 12 years ago, despite efforts from Michael Edwards. He said he never really wanted to leave Athletic Club and only considered leaving for something completely different, such as Major League Soccer with New York City FC.

He said he sees similarities between Athletic Club and Liverpool, including belonging, a sense of being different, a connection to academy players and the atmosphere at Anfield.

He also said he has already visited Liverpool several times, including on trips where the city was chosen for practical reasons because of flight connections. He remembered an early visit around a Christmas market and said he and his wife enjoyed it.

This summer, he has had no real holiday. He said he spent one week at home for his children’s half-term break and otherwise has been based mostly in Bournemouth while also travelling to Liverpool to sort schools and housing.

Iraola described leaving Bournemouth after three impressive years as very clean and said he only seriously considered his next step after Bournemouth finished the season in Europe for the first time. He said the process of becoming Liverpool’s replacement for Slot happened quickly, although he had also spoken with Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace.

Liverpool fans have already created a song in his honour, set to the tune of Christy Moore’s Viva la Quinta Brigada. Iraola said he was astonished to hear about it and described it as strange, because he believes football is about the players.

He said that when he first arrived in England, he did not always join the players in applauding supporters after games, because in Spain managers usually leave that to the players. He said he learned that in England managers are expected to go to the fans, and he now does it every time.

Iraola said these cultural differences are part of what managers must learn in a new league. He added that managers are assistants to the players, not the main figures, and that players are the ones who can bring success.

The Kop may disagree with that theory, but Iraola insists the power of the collective is what matters most.