Spaniard Andoni Iraola has become the new coach of Bournemouth, after being appointed by the Cherries team to succeed the sacked Gary O'Neill.
Although many people may not know the name Iraola, if it is said that he is the legendary right-back of Athletic Bilbao, many people will remember him well. Now he is a young and energetic coach. Who are ready to show their skills in the premier league arena. To welcome Iraola to the Premier League, Sporting News Thailand would like to take you to get to know Bournemouth's new coach a little better.
Personal history of Andoni Iraola
- full name : Andoni Airola Sakarna
- birthday : June 22, 1982
- age : 41 years
- Weight : 75 kg.
- to rise : 181 cm
- The team is in control : Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola's football journey
Andoni Iraola started playing football as a trainee at Antigoco, the same generation as former Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. Before that, he moved to Athletic Bilbao's youth team in 1999.
Iraola played for Bilbao's under-19 team for only one year. He was sent on loan to Baskonia, a Basque Country team and Bilbao's smaller club, in 2000, before Iraola repaid his trust by scoring 4 goals.
After his loan contract expired, Iraola returned to Bilbao's youth team again before 2003. Iraola made his debut for Athletic Bilbao, which was only his first season playing professional football. This young man from the youth team suddenly became an important figure. With 30 appearances on the pitch and 5 goals scored, before time passed, Iraola became a club legend after spending 12 seasons with Athletic Bilbao, making over 500 appearances on the pitch.
After bidding farewell to the famous Basque team, Iraola moved on to play in Major League Soccer with New York City FC in 2015, and two years later, he announced his retirement from playing on grass. He became good at being a team manager
The clubs were playing
New York City (2015-2017)
40 games 1 assist
Athletic Bilbao (2003-2015)
507 matches, 38 goals, 46 assists
Baskonia (2000-2001)
35 matches, 4 goals
Andoni Iraola's training journey
Although he is very good at being a professional footballer. But Iraola's debut as a coach did not start well, and in 2018, after retiring for only one year, the Cypriot club AEK Larnaca approached him to become a coach. However, Iraola only stayed with the team for 6 months and was fired for his last 2 months with the team. He led the team without winning any matches.
But Iraola was only out of work for a short period before being approached by Mirandes, a Spanish second division club. Although they were not able to lead the team to promotion, his masterpiece was Mirandes' amazing march to the semi-finals of the King's Cup. By defeating both Sevilla and Villarreal in the round of 16 and round of 8, before losing to Real Sociedad in the qualifiers with a score of 1-3.
Thanks to his outstanding performance, in the following season, Rayo Vallecano, a Serie B team, brought in Airola to manage the team and he was able to lead the club to promotion to Serie A. With a win in the promotion play-off round and the 2021-22 season being Irrola's first in charge of La Liga, he guided Rayo to a comfortable survival by finishing in 11th place, taking the team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. Although it was not successful, it gained great admiration. As a young coach he is worth watching
Until the 2023-2024 season, Iraola will have the opportunity of a lifetime when Premier League side Bournemouth appoint him as their new coach. The goal is not just to escape relegation anymore.
The club I used to control
Bournemouth (2023-present)
Rayo Vallecano (2020-2023)
He played 136 matches, winning 56, drawing 30, and losing 50
Mirandes (2019-2020)
He played 49 matches, winning 18, drawing 17, and losing 14
AEK Larnaca (2018-2019)
He played 29 matches, winning 13, drawing 8, and losing 8
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