Paul Merson has admitted he is a 'massive fan' of Andoni Iraola but believes doubts remain over whether the Bournemouth boss can make the step up to manage Liverpool. The former Arsenal star's comments come after Arne Slot was sacked as Liverpool manager on Saturday, leaving one of the most prestigious jobs in English football vacant.
Slot's Dismissal Confirmed
Slot's dismissal was confirmed following a disappointing second season at Anfield. The Dutchman had sensationally won the Premier League title in his first campaign, but a year later he was shown the door after the Reds finished fifth. A replacement has not yet been officially confirmed, but Iraola has emerged as the clear favourite to take over on Merseyside.
Iraola's Impressive Tenure at Bournemouth
The 43-year-old joined Bournemouth from Rayo Vallecano in 2023 and is leaving the Cherries after three impressive seasons. Despite seeing his squad raided last summer as big clubs snapped up several first-team players, and Antoine Semenyo departing in January, Bournemouth finished sixth in the Premier League. They ended the season on an 18-match unbeaten run and qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.
Merson has been thoroughly impressed by Iraola's work but still feels the pressure at a giant club like Liverpool will be something he has not yet experienced as a manager. 'I'm a big fan of him, massive fan, but he was manager of Bournemouth. I don't mean that disrespectfully, 12,000 people, you win a game, you win, if you lose, hey ho,' Merson told Sky Sports. 'At Liverpool it's win, win, win and he'll have to get used to that, but I'm a big fan of his. To take Bournemouth on an 18-match run without losing a game is some doing. Liverpool will be hoping he can do his magic as well at Liverpool.'
Merson Surprised by Slot Sacking
While he rates Iraola as a probable replacement, Merson admitted he was surprised to see Slot sacked given his brilliant first season. 'To be fair I was quite shocked, especially when Xabi Alonso went to Chelsea, I thought Slot was staying for at least another six months if he does well,' said the Arsenal icon. 'Now he's out. I found that strange. I thought he should have got another year. I thought what he did last year was amazing. Not too many teams have gone back-to-back in the Premier League. He's got them into the Champions League again, I thought it was a little bit harsh. But the fans are good judges up there they weren't happy with it. You've got to keep the fans happy, they're good fans.'
Redknapp Backs Iraola
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp thinks Iraola will be an excellent acquisition if Liverpool do sign him up, backing him to make the step up and work successfully alongside sporting director Richard Hughes again, having done so at Bournemouth. 'As long as he gets the right players, and you've got to trust in Richard Hughes and the team of sporting directors they have there to bring in the elite kind of players that he needs,' said Redknapp. 'You can see that he has made so many players at Bournemouth who look like ok players and he's turned them into fantastic players. I've got no problem whatsoever that he can handle it. He was a very good player and he's become an elite manager.
'I think it's going to be really interesting for players. Liverpool definitely need a midfielder, a high energy right midfielder to try and get the goals Mohamed Salah has done for many years…another defender. It's not just the manager who's going to be really important, it's the players that they bring into the squad. It's very interesting times. If Iraola gets the job I'll be delighted with that. Can he handle it? Absolutely, I've got no doubt, he's an elite manager.'
