‘I need to prove I belong here’: Andoni Iraola stays humble in new Liverpool era

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It is a leap he feels ready to take.Iraola, appointed six days after Arne Slot’s sacking on 30 May, said: “I feel I have a lot of things to prove in terms of I’ve never coached a club as big as Liverpool. I’ve experienced this kind of change of goals or coaching in a bigger club, and there is always a time where I say: ‘You have to prove that you belong.’ And this is the first month for me now.“I need to prove myself and get everyone to know that I belong here, that I have the level to stay here, that I have the level to coach Liverpool.

I trust myself a lot and I think I’m ready for the challenge that I know is very big. But it’s part of the magic of being the Liverpool manager and I would not like to change too much.”Iraola has called on his players ‘to suffocate the opposition, especially at Anfield’.

I think it’s something that has to come from the team. I talk to Richard, I talk to [the FSG president] Mike Gordon, I talked to Michael Edwards – he seems super-smart so it is unfortunate he’s not going to continue with us but he’s explained very well his decision and his reasons.