Sports

Iraola bowing out in style – where will he go next?

Image source: Getty ImagesByAdwaidh RajanBBC Sports journalist2 hours ago184 commentsAny suggestion that Andoni Iraola was distracted by his decision to leave Bournemouth were firmly denied by his players during their statement win against Newcastle. The club confirmed this week that Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires in the summer. This will end a three-year stint as manager. Marcus Tavernier, Cherries winger, told BBC Match of the Day that it had made him want to work harder and finish the season with something special. “He has done so much for this club and its players, it is only fair that we show him the reaction to end off with something we will remember for a very long time.” Iraola continued: “You’re always worried when you have to give this kind news because you don’t know what everyone will react.” I know my players are going to push through until the end. I trust them a lot. Could the 2-1 win over Newcastle have been Iraola’s audition? His latest victory as Bournemouth’s manager has put more pressure on Eddie Howe. The Magpies are now only three points ahead of 15th placed Leeds. Iraola said to BBC Radio Solent that he had no idea what his future held. “I don’t have a clue if I will be coaching next season. I’m not in a hurry to find out. The decision was not affected by any other club. “But one thing’s for sure – the 43 year-old is not going to be out of a job for very long.” The 43-year-old is unlikely to be out of work for long. In his first season he led them to 12th place, achieving then-club-high 48 points. He was rewarded with an extension of his contract until the end 2025-26. The following season the Cherries finished 9th with a new record of 56 points, and reached the FA Cup quarter-finals. This campaign, Iraola placed Bournemouth, who had never played continental soccer, right in the middle of a The Cherries’ run is even more impressive when you consider that key players Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez have left the club this season. Illia Zabarnie, Antoine Semenyo, and Illia Zabarnyi are also gone. [embedded text]”He’s been absolutely magnificent,” said former England and Arsenal defender Martin Keown to Final Score. “Let’s not forget how many players left during the summer. These guys have joined. How are they doing it?” His points per match and win percentage are both the highest amongst all Cherries managers. Iraola stated that the club had tried everything. “In December, they made a formal offer. I tried to express my feelings. “I have been so satisfied with the seasons I’ve been here, I don’t want to risk it. It’s not because I’m tired, but I’m more motivated than ever to finish this season. Sometimes you have to pick the right moment to leave a place. “Keown said: “It would have been a shame for him to leave the Premier League. I want him to stay here, I love what he does.” Keown’s wish could still be granted, as many English clubs are currently looking for a new manager. No Semenyo, no problem? How Bournemouth continues to defy odds7 days agoWhich English club could move for him Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace’s previous manager, had confirmed his departure before Iraola. Iraola was on Palace’s shortlist to replace the Austrian, but it would have taken a major coup for the FA Cup holders if they had managed to secure the Bournemouth manager. There are other Premier League teams that might be interested in Iraola. Michael Carrick, who is serving as interim manager at Manchester United until the end the season, could be looking for a replacement in the summer. Arne Slot, the Dutchman’s successor, has also been under pressure. Chelsea, under new boss Liam Rosenior, have also struggled to impress. Manchester City is also preparing to live without Pep Guardiola. His contract runs until 2027. Recent reports suggest that the club is courting Enzo Maresca, former Chelsea manager, as Guardiola’s replacement. Rory Smith, The Observer’s football correspondent, recently asked: “Where does Iraola sit in terms of City United Liverpool and Chelsea?” I think he will be a contender in all of them. “I think he’d be able to fine-tune the teams.” I think that the principles would stay the same, high-octane, but I suspect that he could adjust it to the team a little bit,” said he to BBC Monday Night Club. And then there is Newcastle. Howe’s reign at Real Madrid is over, and the Magpies have suffered a series of setbacks since then. Iraola is a former player of Athletic Club. Ernesto Valverde, who announced in March that he was leaving the club this summer, is a manager at the club. Iraola, who was born in the Basque Country and played 510 games for the club between 2003 and 2015, has strong ties with the club. “I’ve played there for many years and it was a surprise for me. Ernesto is my biggest football reference. It’s his decision, but I’m not affected by it, except for the supporters. “Smith added: “It is the club where he learnt a lot of footballing principles. Many of his elements come from [Marcelo] Bielsa’s Athletic team. “That job is open, if he wishes to return to Spain. This job will have a huge emotional pull. But the interest from Spain may not be limited to Bilbao. Alvaro Arbeloa replaced the sacked Xabi alonso at Real Madrid. However, the La Liga giants are nine points behind Barcelona with seven games left and were knocked from the Champions League this week by Bayern Munich. The allure of Real Madrid and their star-studded squad could tempt the former Spain full back. Or would he prefer a stint in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen before moving on to bigger names. Iraola is a fascinating character and the story of his journey could be one of the most captivating stories of the summer. [embedded content]What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsPremier LeagueBournemouthFootballMore on this storyFollow your club with BBC Sport12 MarchListen to the latest Football Daily podcastGet football news sent straight to your phone16 August 2025

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Protests and another costly loss – pressure mounts on Rosenior’s Chelsea

ByNizaar KinsellaFootball Reporter at Stamford Bridge14 Minutes ago6 CommentsThere was chanting of “we want to our Chelsea back” before kick-off, then Chelsea has gone nearly six and a quarter hours without a league goal. It’s not impossible, but it is a mountain we must climb. We have five games left and the pressure is on. Cunha gives Man United win at Chelsea to boost Champions League chancesIs Rosenior at risk? A few weeks ago, Rosenior cited the fact that he took charge of Chelsea when they were eighth Chelsea lost to Manchester City and Manchester United despite having a free midweek to prepare. “I think we are behind Liam.” Behdad Eghbali, influential owner of the CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, said, “It’s a business of results, but we believe he can be a Eghbali acknowledged that the lack of managerial stability was a major factor in Chelsea’s recent failures. Or is the anger directed at the ownership? Image source, Getty ImagesThere is anger directed at Rosenior, but many Chelsea supporters also point the finger at Eghbali, Boehly and the Image source: Getty ImagesOr is the anger directed at the ownership? There are signs that they are willing listen to some criticism, such as calls to recruit more experience players. “We acknowledge we need balance. Eghbali explained that you can tweak a model to improve it and learn from your mistakes. “We have a solid core, but need to add more experience to bring the team to the next stage and achieve consistency.” We are not blind to this. “However, failure of qualification for the Champions League will undermine any rebuild. Chelsea has spent around PS1.5bn in signings and, despite recovering approximately PS750m from sales, they are still under financial scrutiny by Uefa. They have been fined for breaking their regulations. “When asked about Palmer’s remarks and the possible financial implications, Rosenior responded: “The honest response is that I don’t really know.” We’re still fighting, and we’ll deal with the situation at the end the season. While the protest movement is largely driven by younger fans, there are signs that older match-going supporters are apathetic. At full-time, there were boos, and the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge has been getting quieter.

Sports

Wild celebrations to verge of tears – time running out for Spurs

ByHarry PooleBBC Sport Journalist1 hour ago187 commentsFrom ecstasy, to agony, to elation in less than 20 minutes. De Zerbi, Tottenham’s head coach, told BBC Sport that the game was a draw because they conceded in extra time. “It is hard to accept. We must be stronger than what we are experiencing. We must move on and prepare ourselves for the next match. Former Spurs striker Les Ferdinand said to Sky Sports: “If it was the 90th, I could understand that. But there was still a lot of soccer left to play. “The reaction was not to jump into the crowd, but rather to keep it tight. “But former Premier League defender Ashley Williams said to BBC Sport that he had “no problem” with Spurs’ celebratory behavior. “The goal was important at that time.” “This team is able to win five games in a row,” the Italian told the media. On the surface, that faith would appear to be unfounded. The Italian told the media that his team was capable of winning five consecutive games. On the surface, this faith would seem unfounded. Spurs’ winless streak in the league is now at 15 matches. This is just one short the club’s longest winless league streak, which occurred 91 years ago. “I believe in my team and they must believe in me.” We can’t look backwards. De Zerbi said, “We have enough time and enough quality.” “I don’t like people that cry or think too negatively. “Tottenham’s Pedro Porro told BBC Sport that “I don’t think we have time to be disappointed after the game.” The best thing for me and my teammates is to keep pushing. “I thought the team today was very strong. The most important thing is to stay positive. The most important thing is to stay positive. “We must thank our fans.” They were amazing, they helped our players a lot, before, during, and after the game,” said De Zerbi. The players should feel lucky, because it is not normal for a stadium to be like this when you are fighting for relegation. De Zerbi, who has been a “father figure” to his team, is not overloading them with information at this time. But there are signs that the players are beginning to adapt to his high-press style. It was a relentless pressing. The entire stadium was also rocking. Former Spurs defender Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports: “They must take the positives. This will feel as a loss. It was an opportunity to turn around their fortunes. “That’s something they will have deal with. I saw the passion, commitment and hunger. De Zerbi showed passion on the touchline. “I saw something that game, it has restored some confidence, but this is just a beginning. “Image source, Getty ImagesSpurs will travel to Wolves on Saturday, then to European hopefuls Aston Villa, and Chelsea to find crucial points. “They can change their mentality, and that’s the most important thing. Now it’s easy to think negatively but we need to focus and find the conditions to win again. “We will fight until the end and give our all in every game. If we can give our best then it’s still not over. “Today I saw signs. I saw blood, character and qualities, as well as organisation, both with and without the football. Everything to reach our goal. Spurs’ challenge may become even greater before they kick the ball again, as Nottingham Forest will host Burnley, and West Ham will face Crystal Palace in the next two days. Andy Reid, former Premier League midfielder, told BBC Radio 5 Live that Spurs will have to watch nervously as West Ham and Nottingham Forest play. “If both teams win, this point is not so good.” It’s going to be a stressful couple of days. “[embedded contents]What information do you collect from this quiz?” Related topicsPremier LeagueTottenham HotspurFootballMore about this storyLatest Tottenham News, Analysis and Fan ViewsAsk About Tottenham – What do you want to learn?

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Man Utd boost Champions League hopes with victory at Chelsea

Man Utd boost Champions League chances with victory at ChelseaThis is not available in the location you selected. There was an error.Manchester United are closer to booking their place in the Champions League next season after Matheus cunha scores the lone goal in their 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge.MATCHREPORT: Chelsea 0-1 Manchester United Only for UK users.Premier League33 Minutes agoShare pageAbout Sharing

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Rutter scores late equaliser to deny Spurs crucial win

Rutter scores late equaliser, denies Spurs crucial winThis is not available at your location. There was an errorTottenham remain on the bottom three of the Premier League and are denied their 1st Premier League victory since Dec. Georginio Rutter scores for Brighton a late equaliser as the two teams draw 2-2 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. MATCH REPORT : Tottenham 2-2 Brighton Available only to UK users. Premier League37 minutes agoShare this pageAbout sharing

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Leeds move closer to survival with victory over Wolves

Leeds move closer towards survival with victory over WolvesThis is not available in the location you selected. There was an error.Leeds moved closer to securing Premier League survival after beating Wolves 3-0 on Elland Road. MATCH REPORT : Leeds 3-0 Wolves Available only to UK users. Premier League38 minutes agoShare this pageAbout sharing