Andoni Iraola is now in conversation with Liverpool about taking over at Anfield after guiding Bournemouth to a shock European qualification this season. The move comes less than a week after he left the club.
The Bournemouth Story
Under Iraola, Bournemouth became one of the Premier League's most watchable sides. With a shoestring budget, they consistently unsettled bigger clubs and finished higher than anyone expected. Their highest-ever Premier League table position arrived under his guidance.
The title of the job changes quickly; the explanation usually takes a little longer to catch up.
It was quite a ride for a manager who had never run a top-tier European operation. Before Bournemouth, Iraola steered Rayo Vallecano in Spain and logged time coaching in Cyprus.
The Fit
The appointment would mark a sharp pivot for Liverpool: an unproven quantity at the game's highest level, yes, but one who just pulled off something rather special on the south coast. The gap between managing Bournemouth and managing Liverpool is, presumably, the exact kind of jump the board is willing to test.