Curtis Jones finds Andoni Iraola at right time as Liverpool boss knows Scouser's true value

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Sound familiar?Maybe that's the reason why Iraola seemed so at home at his Liverpool unveiling on Monday, when the former Bournemouth boss endeared himself to Reds supporters by insisting he will tackle the challenges of the Anfield hotseat head on while also enjoying both the club and the city.“I understand that this is a massive club, everything that I’m going to say now is going to have the biggest scrutiny, you have to be very aware of the mistakes," said Iraola.“But I wouldn’t like to be too careful. I would like to act quite normal, I’m not going to live in my bubble – just training ground, home.“I would like to go to the city, experience the city, I know some places, I will have to take some pictures.“But it’s part also of the magic of being the Liverpool manager.

I would like not to change too much.”And if he is set on getting out and about in the city, the new Liverpool head coach could do with a good tour guide. Which might be just one of many reasons that he wants to keep Curtis Jones around.Having begun life under the previous manager talking about how his style of play suited him, the city centre-born midfielder did often not look too pleased with the closing months of Arne Slot's tenure, perhaps partly because he wasn't playing in midfield.Jones would always insist that he was happy to do a job for the team, but having been pressed into action in last season's problem right-back position he didn't look the happiest.

With one year remaining on his contract, the body language experts were studying every move he made, considering his future with every turn.January transfer interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan has been followed up by strong, and public, flirtations from the Serie A giants this summer, and Jones would not be human if he didn't wonder just what such a move could do for his career.It will be tempting to challenge himself outside of his comfort zone, and he is sure to be looking on at England's World Cup squad with envy and wondering what might have been.Inter would have to put in an acceptable bid first for an exit to happen of course, which they haven't yet, but on Monday Iraola - who played 510 games for Basque powerhouse Athletic Bilbao and spent all of his playing career in the Basque Country bar a late spell in New York - could not have been clearer when it came to discussing Jones' future."I rate Curtis very highly," said the Reds head coach."For me he is a great, great player and I hope he can continue with us and continue performing the way he has been performing."It’s very important that he’s Scouse, that he’s from here. I also like the personality."From the outside at least he looks like a player with good character and I hope we can keep him, not only for this year but for more time."As Jones returned to training on Tuesday those words were surely ringing in his ears.In Iraola the Scouser will find someone who shares the idea that identity and a sense of knowing and respecting where you come from is crucial.Jones might be at a crossroads in his career but he could have found his new manager at just the right time, and in a summer where Liverpool need to be adding to their squad rather than letting more players go, the head coach's words could hardly have been clearer.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!