What Andoni Iraola won't do at Liverpool and the one thing people are telling him to change
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SportFootballLiverpool FCNew Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been speaking during his first week working with his players at the AXA Training CentreAndoni Iraola is adamant he will not compromise his beliefs as Liverpool head coach - as he urged his players to capitalise on the "massive advantage" of Anfield.Iraola was appointed last month with the brief of producing a front-footed, aggressive and urgent style of play following criticism of the approach from the sacked Arne Slot.The Spaniard forged his Premier League reputation during three years at Bournemouth whom he guided to European qualification for the first time in their history last season.And he has reiterated having a clear idea of how he wants his new charges to perform when asked about being targeted by the Liverpool hierarchy."If they have signed me then there has to be a reason behind it and one of the most important ones was the style of play," said Iraola."I cannot arrive here and then start changing everything and becoming a team that especially I don't feel."I have a very clear idea of what I want to do with the team, to what direction we have to go."Iraola has again spoken about his squad reconnecting with the fanbase after they were increasingly subjected to jeers at games and abuse on social media during a difficult last campaign.And, speaking to Stan Sport of Australia, the Liverpool boss believes the onus is on the players to start rebuilding the relationship with the crowd."I think in our case, I want to connect a little bit with the supporters, with Anfield," he said."I think we have a massive advantage in terms of the atmosphere we can create playing at home, also away but especially at home. I would like to build into and try to create a football team that connects with the people who are watching."But it has to start from the pitch.
We have to be a team that they can be proud of in terms of intensity, fight, of winning your duels, I think that's what people demand. It's what I see from the outside and the time I've been here it's what people are demanding."So we have to be almost perfect in those departments.
We have to create this connection where I feel we are going to be difficult to stop."Choose Liverpool Echo as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCAndoni Iraola