Iraola: “Bournemouth? Like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”

Our interview with Bournemouth’s coach, Andoni Iraola, as part of the documentary “Bournemouth, Don’t Call It Cinderella Anymore”. 

Andoni Iraola is a great book lover. If he hadn’t become a coach, he would have opened a bookstore.

As a young man, he studied to become a lawyer, but then chose football.

He is proud of his Basque roots and carries with him a fundamental lesson from his parents.

When we ask him which book he would compare his Bournemouth to, he doesn’t hesitate: “Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley“.

Our interview with Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola

One word to describe Andoni Iraola as a footballer, one to describe him as a coach and finally one for the man.

“That’s difficult… I think I was a good footballer. I’ve Always said that I think I was better as a player than as a coach. I still feel like a footballer. As a coach, I would choose the word ‘assistant’. I’m an assistant to the players; yes, I would say ‘assistant’. And as a person… well, I would say ‘simple’”.

What does it mean to be Basque in general and specifically in football?

“For me, being Basque, and moreover playing for Athletic, gave me a sense of belonging. There is pride in being at home, in Euskadi (the Basque Country, ed.), and that is something that can be transferred to the other clubs I have been at. I’ve been lucky enough to play for clubs like Rayo Vallecano, where there’s a very strong sense of belonging, and here in Bournemouth it’s the same. It’s a very small club in the context of the Premier League, but it cultivates its pride, that of a history that for the most part has not been in the Premier League but in lower divisions, but people are proud of it”.

What are the fundamental principles of your game? How would you describe the style of the teams you coach?

“For me, the team is the most important aspect. You need to have a collective, everyone has to contribute to the team improving: from the coach to the doctors, the outfield players and the goalkeeper, those who play as well as those who don’t. For me, that’s the starting point. Secondly, in football terms, we’re a team that tries to make a lot happen in a game. We usually play at a very high tempo; the closer we are to the opposition’s goal, the more comfortable we feel. It’s a way of defending by attacking, a strategy that reduces the amount of defensive work we have to do and makes us feel good on the pitch”.

What is your dream for the future as a coach?

“I don’t have a particular dream as a coach. As I’ve Always said, I still feel like a footballer today. I’m not obsessively planning my coaching career. I’m taking it season by season without any exaggerated expectations. I don’t have any big dreams”.

You have another great passion, which is cycling. What similarities do you see between cycling and football? Do you think this passion influences your coaching in any way?

“Yes, I like cycling as a fan. We follow the sport a lot, especially in the Basque Country. Obviously, they are different disciplines. Cycling perhaps has a stronger individual component than football: only one rider wins, even if he is part of a team, whereas in football we all achieve the same result. In cycling, there is a collective spirit, which is the most important thing, because ultimately everyone has to work to ensure that the leader arrives more rested, so that he takes less wind and reduces the gap between him and the others, exposing him as little as possible. They are different sports, but I believe that the commitment and time a cyclist dedicates to their profession, the way they live it, are things we need to learn: they live their discipline 24 hours a day, they are very attentive to their weight, rest, etc. There are things that football can learn from cycling”.

There are other anecdotes… is it true that you could have opened a bookshop if you hadn’t become a footballer? And is it true that you gave up your law degree to become a footballer?

“Yes, it’s true. I’ve Always loved reading, it’s a way of ‘escaping’ a little from the pressure of football. When I had to travel, I Always took a book with me, it was a form of escape; and I Always enjoyed doing it. When I’m in a city, I Always like to go into a bookshop, browse the aisles, buy books that you never have time to read but keep at home anyway. This has Always been one of my passions. As for becoming a lawyer, I didn’t finish it because it wasn’t something I liked, but I was Always a fairly good student, I Always attended classes, but once I started a high-level football career, it became very difficult to finish the course, especially at the end when I would have needed to do my internship, attend court hearings… and I don’t think I’ll ever finish it, because I don’t particularly like it”.

“If Bournemouth were a book…”

Simon Francis told us that you have a kind of superstition, a tic, where you move your fingers as if you were playing the guitar: is that true? Why do you do it?

“I have several superstitions, which obviously have no value, they don’t make sense, but I have several. I put a plaster around my finger like I did when I was a footballer, or there are gestures I make involuntarily during the game, but I’m aware that they mean nothing”.

If Bournemouth were a book, what title would you give it?

“Very difficult… I answered a similar question in the past: Frankenstein. The reason is that Mary Shelley is buried here (in Bournemouth, ed.): when I arrived here, I didn’t know that, it was a surprise. My wife told me and we went to visit the places in the city centre. Not only that, but there are elements in the book that can act as a bridge with our team. Frankenstein is a being born from a creation… well, yes, there are points of contact”.

Your present is Bournemouth. What is special about this city, about this club? Why did you come here?

“I came here mainly for two reasons. The first: I wanted to try the Premier League. As a footballer, I hadn’t been able to do so because I didn’t want to leave Athletic Club, so there was never an opportunity to come here. The second was the way they spoke to me. They had analysed my previous teams in great detail and wanted me here to replicate that style. It wasn’t just the results; they came to me and basically said, ‘We like the way you make your teams play. We’ve seen you at Rayo Vallecano and we want to do something similar at Bournemouth’. That was the main challenge right from the start. I’m very happy: I’ve been here for two seasons now, and I think it’s also the way this club is trying to evolve, even by buying new players. For example, I get on very well with the Young players and try to help them improve, even if they end up playing for bigger teams. It’s a path we can do well on. Even when I was at Mirandès, we had a really Young team, and I feel that there could be similar developments here”.

Vitality Stadium is a small ground but it exudes great passion. What is the relationship with the fans and the city?

“Many fans here are enjoying this historic moment for the club because they followed it in League Two, League One, the Championship… Now I think everyone is enjoying the opportunity to play here against big teams in the League every two weeks. I hope we can stay at this level for a long time and establish ourselves as a Premier League club. The stadium will also be improved with the addition of stands and seats. I think this will also increase the love for football in this city”.

Today, Bournemouth can count on promising players such as Huijsen and Kerkez, as well as other Young players. Why do you want to have Young players in your teams, how important is it to you?

“For a club like Bournemouth, it’s very difficult to have the best players aged 24, 25 or 26, for example, so we have to take risks, find those players when they are 18, 19, 20, when they haven’t made the big step yet. We have to trust them when they are not yet finished products. We encourage them to come here and take this first step in the Premier League with us; if they then continue with us, so much the better for everyone, especially for us… But even if it doesn’t end that way, it’s still a path we’re used to, and I think it’s very positive for the players”.

This is already a historic season for Bournemouth. In your opinion, what has been the best victory?

“I think it’s been a good season. Let’s see how it ends because we still have hopes of Fighting for the last European spot. If I had to choose one game in particular… I would choose two. The first is the home game against Manchester City, because it was November and it was their first defeat of the season; they suffered others after that, but at that moment it seemed almost impossible to beat City and we did it, here at the Vitality Stadium. I would also choose the win at Newcastle; we won 4-1, playing really well. Yes, I think those are the two games that make me most proud this season”.

Why is it so difficult for opponents to play against Bournemouth?

“We try to make it difficult. Some will say it’s not that difficult because they beat us easily… Our intention is not to give our opponents time to do what they want, to implement their game plan, to hold their positions; we are a team that presses high, fights for second balls and forces you to make quick decisions; I think that makes games difficult for our opponents. That’s what we try to do”.

There is another Spanish coach in Italy, Cesc Fabregas. Do you think there are similarities in the concepts and ideas between Bournemouth and Como?

“Yes, I think Cesc will become an exceptional coach. I played with him a bit for the Spanish national team, he was obviously a fantastic player. And he’s doing very well as a coach too. His influences are Barça – he was there both as a Young player and Years later when he was more experienced – and Arsenal. You can immediately see which style he prefers and which makes him feel most comfortable. I’m sure he’ll be a great coach”.

You have several hobbies, as we’ve seen, but is it true that you’d like to learn Italian?

“I hope so, I don’t think it’s that different from Spanish. I Always say that even though I don’t know the language, Italian, Portuguese and Brazilian footballers are able to understand each other. On the other hand, it’s very difficult with Germans and French people, I can hardly understand anything they say. I’ve been to Italy several times on Holiday, and I really like the country. It would be nice to take that step forward and learn some Italian, definitely”.

Is there a lesson you Learned from your parents when you were a boy that you have carried with you?

“I don’t know, but something I’ve definitely Learned as a coach is not to wait for the ideal opportunity, just do what you think you have to do with what you have available. If you wait for the perfect team, in the perfect country, the perfect city, with the perfect players… it’s not going to happen. Instead, you have to do what you can with the situation you have, try to improve yourself, the team and whatever you’re doing”.