Liverpool’s decision to appoint Andoni Iraola as manager in May, following the dismissal of Arne Slot, has sparked considerable debate, particularly given Xabi Alonso’s subsequent move to Chelsea. While some observers suggested Liverpool “missed out” on the highly-rated Alonso, according to GiveMeSport, the club’s managerial search was far more deliberate, with a specific stylistic profile in mind.

Slot’s tenure at Anfield concluded after a trophy-less 2025/26 campaign, despite having led the club to a Premier League title just one season prior in 2024/25. His departure paved the way for Iraola, who was available after his contract with Bournemouth expired.

A matter of style: Klopp’s ‘vollgas’ legacy

The prevailing narrative that Liverpool somehow overlooked Alonso, who was announced as Chelsea’s new manager on May 17, has been challenged by prominent sports journalists. As highlighted by GiveMeSport, Kevin Hatchard dismissed the notion, claiming the idea was “wide of the mark.”

“I think this idea that #lfc missed out on Xabi Alonso because they sacked Slot too late is wide of the mark,” Hatchard stated on X. “He’s a great coach and a Liverpool legend, but if you want aggressive, fast-paced, up-and-at-em football, he’s not your guy. Iraola much closer to Klopp’s ‘vollgas’ style.”

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This sentiment was echoed by The Athletic’s Oliver Kay, who further clarified Liverpool’s position. Kay revealed that as early as March, Liverpool’s intention was not to seek a new coach, but if they had been, Alonso would not have been their target. Crucially, both Alonso and Iraola share the same agent, meaning Liverpool could have easily initiated discussions with Alonso before his move to Stamford Bridge.

“It was spelt out to me in March that if they were looking for a new coach (which wasn’t their intention at that point), it wouldn’t be Alonso — pretty much for the reasons you mention,” Kay wrote on X. “If they’d wanted to, they could very easily have spoken to him before he took the Chelsea job. (He has the same agent as Iraola after all.) They didn’t.”

The core reason for preferring Iraola over Alonso lies in their distinct tactical approaches. Iraola’s style, characterized by aggressive, fast-paced, high pressing and direct play, is seen as a closer match to the “heavy metal” or “vollgas” football championed by former manager Jurgen Klopp. Alonso’s methodology, by contrast, is not considered as aggressive, fast-paced or “up-and-at-em.”

Iraola’s proven track record and early challenges

Iraola’s reputation was significantly enhanced by his performance at Bournemouth during the 2025/26 season. GiveMeSport notes that after a challenging start in which he failed to win any of his first 10 games, he orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, leading the club on an 18-game unbeaten run, securing a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and qualification for European football.

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Despite this impressive track record, Iraola’s start at Liverpool has been mixed. His first two league matches have resulted in successive 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. In contrast, Xabi Alonso has enjoyed a winning start at Chelsea, securing victories in his first two league matches against Fulham and Brighton in high-scoring encounters.

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