A mix of fire and calm – How Iraola is becoming a Bournemouth hero

As they swung out of The Vitality Stadium into the chilly south coast air, Andoni Iraola was obedient to a European tour, which is exactly what Bournemouth’s supporters were cheering about.

Iraola requested club staff turn the big screen into the Tour de France as he prepared his Bournemouth players for his first pre-season training at their Marbella training headquarters.

If Bournemouth maintains the blistering form that saw Nottingham Forest, flying high in third place in the Premier League before this game, lose 5-0 in the type of attacking blizzard that has become Iraola’s trademark, he will be looking for other countries soon.

As Bournemouth extended their club-record 11 Premier League games, the second half turning into a masterclass that left Forest’s rearguard a mess, Iraola’s name echoed around this sparse arena.

Iraola’s transformation of Bournemouth is a work of contrasts, with the club’s training ground’s relaxed, calm appoachable presence becoming a fiery, intense personality in his technical areas, which has already resulted in him receiving a touchline ban this year.

In addition to Arsenal and Manchester City at home, as well as Manchester United and Newcastle United at home, Bournemouth has added Forest to their list of victims as a result.

Iraola is recognized as one of the league’s top young coaches thanks to his thorough training regimen and a willingness to welcome so-called “underdogs” into the big leagues.

Iraola, modest and smiling, is now assuming hero status at Bournemouth. No wonder when fans can watch football of this caliber, with Antoine Semenyo showing his class and threat with his fifth goal, Justin Kluivert adding his 11th goal of the year, and Dango Ouatarra scoring a hat-trick.

Before games, fans of the club will be able to chat with Iraola in his office 20 minutes before kick-off, while warm-ups continue on the pitch. His relaxing break from weekly analysis sessions with his backroom team is a result of his love of an online game called “Foolball.”

Iraola is so intrigued by the football trivia questions that are asked, and she is also improving his competitive advantage, which has resulted in the creation of leaderboards.

Cycling is another form of relaxation that avoids the Dorset hills, which does not keep him glued to Le Tour.

He excels in his training, working alongside Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, two former Bournemouth legends.

When he was appointed, he did not follow the custom of an influx of staff, even after his plan to appoint Inigo Perez, who is now the coach at Rayo Vallecano, was thwarted due to work permit issues. He did this even after his predecessor, Pablo de la Torre, was hired.

Iraola won his first league game after ten games, but the club never saw the outside world. Those inside accepted he had been given a tough start, with games against sides including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal in that opening period.

The man who, to the surprise of many, succeeded in replacing Gary O’Neil was able to convince those at Bournemouth to see enough to support their faith.

Iraola’s Bournemouth are all about this mauling of Forest, with the ball being quickly moved into attacking possession and eager to use long balls before their potent attackers, even without their long-awaited £40m signing Evanilson and others, putting their work into action.

Iraola’s side are determined to quickly penetrate their opponent’s half before relying on their possession or fierce pressing to create danger.

We haven’t seen the signing since Bournemouth lost Dominic Solanke to Tottenham in the summer. The transition has been seamless.

Former sporting director Richard Hughes, now at Liverpool, is still given much credit for his work, while former Bournemouth captain Simon Francis, his assistant for four years, has moved into the role with success.

The smart recruitment is exemplified by central defenders Illia Zabarnyi, signed from Dynamo Kyiv for £24m in January 2023, plus Spanish under-21 teenager Dean Huijsen, brought in from Juventus for £12.8m last summer.

As both players play with their socks rolled down, Bournemouth have not lost since they last met 11 games ago, cutting an unlikely and unconventional pair. They have created a formidable barrier.

Hat-trick hero Ouatarra, 22, cost £20m from Lorient in January 2023 while Kluivert now looks a bargain after his £9.6 move from AS Roma in June 2023.

Milos Kerkez, who has already won the match against Forest, is already a hot commodity since joining from AZ Alkmaar in July 2023.

Iraola wants his players to be both mentally and tactically strong, and this was all evident because they simply carried too much for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

In a complex training ground routine at a free kick that gave the substitute the opening goal, he prides himself on every player knowing his role and having unity of thought and purpose, as perhaps demonstrated by Ryan Christie’s replacement in the 2-0 win over Arsenal in October.