Saunders Would Snub Iraola: Five Proven Winners He’d Call First for Liverpool

Liverpool are tearing up the recent script and pivoting from Arne Slot to Andoni Iraola, swapping a steady, studied approach for a high-tempo press that screams back-to-the-Klopp-basics. Iraola’s Bournemouth were a blast last term, charging unbeaten through the entire second half of the league and punching a Europa League ticket in the process. Slot, by contrast, never truly synced his expensively assembled pieces — even headline recruits like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak — as the defending champions limped into fifth. It’s bold. It’s brave. And at Anfield, it’s bound to divide the room.

Why Saunders Isn’t Convinced

Dean Saunders, FA Cup winner with the Reds in the early ’90s, isn’t having it. Speaking on radio, the former striker argued that Liverpool is a different gig entirely — the sort of job where a draw feels like a crisis and where you’ve got to solve a low block every single week. In his view, Iraola’s résumé, full of admirable work but light on medals, doesn’t yet prove he can handle the relentlessness of an elite juggernaut.

The Five He’d Have Called First

Saunders’ wishlist reads like a superclub’s fantasy five: Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti. Pie in the sky? Maybe — but that’s his point. He believes Liverpool should start at the summit by chasing proven serial winners before turning to emerging names. Try to tempt Klopp back. Ask the unaskable of Guardiola. Sound out Enrique. Kick the tyres on Mourinho. See if Ancelotti could be prized away after his international commitments. Only when that tree’s been shaken, he says, do you move on to the next bracket of managers.

The Risk and the Reward with Iraola

Here’s the balance sheet. On the plus side, Iraola’s football is electric and tailor-made for a crowd that feeds off intensity. His Cherries didn’t just entertain; they controlled transitions, pressed with purpose, and showed the kind of courage that gets the Kop purring. On the flip side, he’s yet to win a major trophy and is stepping from AEK Larnaca, Mirandés and Rayo Vallecano into one of the most scrutinised dugouts in Europe after three years at Bournemouth. That’s a leap — even for a coach with a rapidly growing reputation.

Reports indicate he’s verbally agreed a two-year deal to take the reins at Anfield, a sensible runway for a reset rather than a demand to hoover up silverware immediately. The football should be fun, the energy infectious, and the early months will likely buy him goodwill. But make no mistake: at Liverpool, patience has limits when the fixture list gets sticky and the expectation is to turn tight ones into routine wins.

Pundit’s Verdict

For me, this is the classic big-club punt. The ceiling with Iraola is high — a real chance to re-energise a side that lost its bite — but the floor can wobble if the press misfires and the goals dry up against packed defences. If Liverpool give him the tools and a bit of cover, he could light the place up. If not, Saunders will be the first to say “told you so.” Either way, the rest of us will be glued to it — and if you’re weighing up the odds around the new era, you’ll find angles aplenty across the best betting sites.

Bottom line: Liverpool wanted a jolt back to front-foot football and they’ve hired a coach who lives for it. Now comes the hard part — turning style into streaks, and streaks into silver.