Imminent £241m Liverpool arrivals could be about to really kickstart Andoni Iraola era

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SportFootballAndoni IraolaThis week's Blood Red column focuses on how Andoni Iraola is getting to grips with the demands of being Liverpool manager, before he meets two key members of his squad next weekIn between sips of his black coffee at the plush hotel in Downtown Chicago, Andoni Iraola did his utmost to distance himself from the stardom that arrives with success at Liverpool.During around an hour in his company this week, it was easy to see the qualities have taken the 44-year-old this far in what has been a relatively short coaching career to date.Humility, a willingness to work hard and an absence of ego were all detected during the chat he gave to a handful of publications that included the ECHO on Tuesday.And in his efforts to steer clear of being lionised by the Liverpool fans who have always liked to bestow greatness on their managers who perform, Iraola inadvertently hit on the crux of the matter at Anfield this coming season.“I always consider the players the main part of this,” Iraola said. “Coaches are important in terms of trying to maximise the potential of every player and try to create the environment to perform better.“But it's true that when you have been so consistent for so many years in a row like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have been.”Iraola was attempting to spotlight his squad and allow them to take the acclaim if the Reds start to go in the right direction under his guidance.But the former Bournemouth coach also indirectly made it clear how much this embattled squad will have to raise its game to move beyond what was, at times, a torrid term under Arne Slot.To do that, however, Iraola will have to extract much more from two players who cost a combined £241m in Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.The pair represent the two biggest individual investments in Anfield history and there has, for various reasons and several mitigating factors, been nowhere near the return Liverpool would have hoped for so far.The details for why are well worn by now.

After a controversial and messy exit from Newcastle United, the Sweden star arrived late, unfit and then broke his leg which kept him out for four months and both players’ issues were not all of their own making.One of the private explanations for why Liverpool struggled so much last season, particularly in an offensive sense, was the lack of game-time Wirtz and Isak had together on the pitch. That is especially true for Isak and Wirtz.Liverpool, though, will need to see some bang for their buck now and as conceded by the man himself, the entire Iraola era is perhaps dependant on it.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!

All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pagePaul GorstPaul Gorst is the Liverpool ECHO's Liverpool FC correspondent and brings readers the inside track on all matters Anfield day in, day out. A journalist with over a decade's worth of experience, he has worked at the ECHO since 2016.Choose Liverpool Echo as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCAndoni Iraola