Football Daily - In Focus with Andoni Iraola and Guillem Balague

Episode Date: March 28, 2025

What would winning the FA Cup mean to Bournemouth? And how has Andoni Iraola inspired such a positive season?The Bournemouth head coach sits down with Guillem Balague to talk through his career, his time at the Vitality StadiumAnd ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, he explains how he prepares to face a side managed by Pep Guardiola.TIMECODES 04:30 Not winning any of his first nine matches 17:20 Manchester City and the FA Cup quarter-final 23:00 Why winning the FA Cup is more important than playing in Europe 26:30 Bournemouth and future investment5 Live/BBC Sounds commentaries Sat 1215 Fulham v Crystal Palace (FA Cup), Sat 1500 Celtic v Hearts (Scottish Premiership), Sat 1715 Brighton v Nottingham Forest (FA Cup), Sun 1330 Preston v Aston Villa (FA Cup).

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. The Football Daily podcast. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello and welcome to the Football Daily podcast with me Guillem Balaguea and sitting in front of me is Andoni Raula. How are you and Donny? Good, good, good. Yes, using this break to rest a little bit and to take another spark of energy for the rest of the season. Because we are talking on Thursday, the big FA Cup game is on Sunday, and you have had a little bit of a break. What do you do when you go away? It's true that you have to give the players a little bit of a break because it has been

a demanding season and I think we've had three days before and three days later. For me the priority are the kids. In this break I've been two days in Euro Disney with them. It's probably not my preferred destination, but sometimes you have to do it for them and we've used a little bit this connection to think in other things. What's more tiring? Ten hours in the training ground or ten hours with your kids? No, with the kids. The kids are full of energy. They don't stop, but it's good. Talking of energy, last time I spoke to you,

you were a Rayo Allecano. And you came out with a line which I remembered since. I'm not gonna be in this for long. From kind of surprise, you're still coaching. I'm still here. I always say, no, I think I will be coaching for, I don't know how long, but I don't think it's gonna be very long,

my coaching career. But I'm still enjoying it. Still my family supports me. They are still happy to follow me everywhere. So we will keep going. We'll see what happens in the future. But you say that when you were a player, that was more of a passion and now it's more of a job.

I feel as a player, I think it wasn't my case that when I was even playing I dreamed to become a manager. It's something that happened once I finished almost and then you decide, okay, maybe I know some things about this game, I can see if I see myself here. But I still feel and I still think as a player a lot of times, yes. So as in, you want to reproduce what you felt as a player, is that what you're doing as a manager as well? Yeah, for me the best part of our job is to assist the players. The players for me are the important part of this business. We are assistants. We have to try to support them, to sometimes guide them. But at the end, the most important thing

is the level they have and try to give them the environment to leave them express themselves and arrive to the level that we think they have. You've had an unusual journey to Bournemouth, via Cyprus and then Madrid, but without the Larnaca experience, which is not something that players who have been international and well known in Spain will go to as far as experience, without that you cannot understand Bournemouth, no? Yes, I don't know if it's normal or unusual, but I started wanting to challenge myself and it was a chance that appeared. I said, okay, let's go, let's try,

let's see myself there. I remember playing some Europa League games, the qualifiers of the qualifiers very early in the season. It was a very good experience also improving the language, having people from a lot of countries. I've gone taking small steps after it was Mirandé, second division, recently promoted, after a bigger club in second division like Raio Vallecano, then first division, but with the hope of not relegating and three years there in Raio. Now is my second year almost at the end here in Bournemouth. So I'm happy and I'm pleased because every place I've been I think I still

keep the contact, we remember the good things, the bad things and I'm really happy. The beginning wasn't great. No it wasn't. And what were you thinking at that time as the first win was week 10 wasn't it? Week 10 yeah against Valle, I remember very well. I think now thinking with some perspective, we were lucky because we had a very difficult, difficult schedule. We played all the top teams at the beginning. Probably we were not ready then and we didn't win games. I remember we tied three or something like

this, but we didn't win games. But we were getting more ready and those difficult games we played at the beginning served us for what it was coming later. And then we played more winnable game, let's say, and the team was much more ready. Probably I was the more worried. I remember talking to the club and saying, hey, it's costing us a lot to win games. I've seen we are struggling.

But you were inviting them to... No, no, no, but I want to be honest and I think we are doing what players are giving everything. We are doing what we are training. I feel like we are doing it quite well. We are getting good chances. I think the numbers, stats-wise, were really good and we were not winning And I think the club was the first one to tell me, no, don't worry, if we continue playing this way,

we are going to win a lot of games because we've played the top teams, the tough teams, we have a better schedule later. And but I was in that moment, it was difficult for me to believe. I think I was the one that because we were doing good things, we were training well, the we were doing good things, we were training well, the players were believing, we were, I think, in a good spot and we were not winning. It was difficult to keep believing. But I have to thank the people, especially Richard, I remember.

Who was your director of football at the time? Yes, director of football now is on Liverpool. He's doing very well. And I'm telling him, don't worry, we are playing very well. It's a matter of time. We are going to win games. And it happened, like he said, now it's very easy. But in that moment that there is pressure, I really appreciate it in that moment.

Let me tell you things that perhaps you don't know is happening at that period. Obviously, you look around and think it's not working. So I ring the club and others ring the club. You see the media saying well, you know, it's not winning so you know, it's about to be sacked. You are in danger. But the message was very clear. Now that pressure doesn't exist. It's not real. He will stay here, you know. It will be closer to give him a new contract

than actually getting rid of him. So that is important. Yeah, I think you know the people in the clubs when things are not working. Because it's the moment where everyone is under pressure. And even the players, the staff, the people above you. And for me, it's for me is a Big advantage now that I'm here because I've known everyone in the good moments and in the bad moments so You know who you can trust who really supports you who is not like

They close their eyes and support, you know, there is a reasoning they analyze everything everything, look, we are doing this very well, we are not having less chances than the opposition, there is something behind that we trust and keep working like this and results will come. And it came, I think, very quickly because even the first half of the season, we already had like 25 points, I think. That is a very good amount for us. But it's true that the first nine games were really tough. In that process, there must be tough moments, players that you think, oh, I can do this with him, but he's not coming off. Would there be anybody in particular you thought, I wish I had worked with you, but he hasn't

and you had to go? Anybody in particular? Yeah, I had some situations that I blame myself, especially with the number 10s. I had very good number 10s with Philippe Billin, with Junior Traoré, players that are now they've been alone in Napoli, Junior is playing very well in Auxerre. And I didn't find their best spot and I couldn't make it work with them. And once we changed, probably to these combinations

that we are using a lot, with Ryan as a number eight, Justin as a number 10, everything kind of clicked and we became a much better team. But I think Philippe Billin is a hell of a player, probably one of the best players that we had in that moment. Junior Traore is a hell of a player, but we couldn't find the best spot in our system, no?

And now I even try to think what could we have done? And it's things that you will never know. And yet when that player doesn't do what you want them to do, there's somebody else that takes that spot and then all of a sudden makes a jump. Who would that be that have done that? For me, probably Ryan Christie. I think it was key when we decided to put him

a little bit more in that holding midfielder position. He understood very well both the defensive and the offensive demands. Also Justin, playing as a number 10, he was more of a winger, playing more outside. And I think he understood very well how we wanted to press, how we wanted to attack the spaces. I think we found this combination with Luis Cook in that moment as a number six. Once you control the middle and everyone understands the demands of his position and everyone around them, I think everything improved from there. Krist is fascinating. Had he ever played in that position before? I don't think so. I don't think so.

I don't think so. But it's something that we talk to him straight away. I think even in the press season, I remember a friendly here against Atlanta. He played as a number eight. We tried because he was playing before as a right winger. Normally left winger, sometimes even with the national team, he continues to play there. We tried at the beginning to put him in the number 10 position, but I think until he didn't receive the ball in lower positions

and he could see everything with more perspective, we didn't get the best from Ryan. And since then, he has been a really lovely player. So how this conversation, listen, I think I'm gonna play you much deeper and what, he went like, what? Or what did he go? No, I think you, they start to feel it in trainings.

You start trying a little bit, changing sometimes between the eight, between the 10, trying different things in training and players are smart and they start to feel something, some changes is happening. Ryan is a lovely player to coach. He gives you everything. Wherever you tell him to play, he will give you everything. And I think has been more his merit than just ours. I think has been more his merit than just ours. Yes It's lovely to hear all these processes. It doesn't end up how it starts

But there were as you said doubts from yourself as well and from the fans You felt that in the last in that period of no wins that fans were like, this is not working No, I I felt everyone was respecting me lot. Even the ones that probably were saying, okay, I think he has to leave, we are not winning. I think the priority is to keep Bournemouth in the Premier League. It's clear as a fan. But everyone was very respectful with me. Even the critics, you have to accept the critics, the critics were with some reasoning like, it was not like he's a disaster. He doesn't know what he's doing He's not like no is He's trying different things. They are playing doesn't believe it. They are not winning. So it's a matter of time, no

But you have to accept these things and don't overthink and accept that at the end results will Determine basically your future. But of course, you are looking in a way that you belong to a time in the history of football in which what you defend, what you want to, the way you want to play, it's what everybody seems to be looking for. That is amazing to think that the evolution of that. Yeah, probably was the main reason why I came here. The approach from the club when I was coaching at the Rio,

it was two different decisions really. I decided to leave Rio because it was a spell of three years, very good years. I felt we finished really happy. We were fighting until the last game to play in Europe. We couldn't get it, but it was like a very good spell from us. And when Bournemouth approached me

at the end of the season, they were not coming because of the results. They were coming because of the style of play, because all the analytics they have studied, all the things they wanted to implement in Bournemouth. So it was more about we need a new style, we like what you are doing in Ray Baicano, in Mirandes, we've analyzed a lot of your past games and we want you to do something similar here. And for me it was the main reason, okay, these guys, they have analyzed me,

they know what we try to do. I think the players we already have in the club, they can give me this style of play because we had, I remember, especially the forwards, Dom Solanke in that moment, Tavernier, I don't know. Antoine Semenio probably was not at the level that he is now, but we had players up front that could match very well with our style. So that was the main reason to make the jump to the Premier League. And you're taking that style from Cyprus to Spain to England, but why does that style

define you? Why do you love it? Why do you will kill for it? It comes probably from my culture, from my club, from Athletic Club. At the end they always say that Athletic Club is the most English of the teams in La Liga. We want to play direct, we use a lot the wings, a lot of crosses, a lot of volume offensively, high rhythm. And I feel comfortable there because it's what I've experienced as a player. And I like to watch it also when I watch games. I prefer to watch games where a lot of things happen and I have to be like alert.

And it's where I feel comfortable. Yes, that's it And you say you had to adapt. What are the things were? surprising to you referees maybe or Yeah, I think Referees are different. I wouldn't say better worse than in Spain are different. I think they prioritize That the the game the flow of the game. They sometimes assume that a foul is a foul,

but it's not a foul enough to stop the game. I prefer the game to continue and you have to adapt. And there is some adaptation there and you have to learn how they think and even coaching, you know? When we are training, you have to referee the same way. So the players also adapt. Do you have to referee the same way, so the players also adapt. Do you have to referee?

Yeah, I used to. They kill you, don't they? They kill you, but it's good. I prefer to be myself the referee than the assistants, because if they are the assistant, they kill them even more. I prefer to know in first person, how they react and the difficult decisions,

and also the players learn to, OK, I can complain but I have to keep some control because it will happen the same on Sunday. The Premier League Review on the Football Daily. I'm Darren Fletcher and don't miss the Premier League Review on the Football Daily every Sunday as we look back at all the action from the weekend. From expert analysis... They need to compete. That's your responsibility. So should we start questioning you as a manager then?

To the biggest debate... He's a free agent at the end of the year. Clubs can contact him. Who knows what's arrived in the inbox. The Premier League review only on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds. Sunday, the FA Cup and you have to face Pep Guardiola.

Do you prepare a lot to play against Pep Guardiola or little? How does he work? You have to face Pep Guardiola. Do you prepare a lot to play against Pep Guardiola or little? How does it work? You have to prepare a lot. You don't have time enough to prepare because normally against all the teams, okay, they normally play like this, they have these adaptations, they can do like this, but with Pep you have to analyze like, I don't know, nine, ten different ways they can go. I remember the last game we played we prepared for a couple of main structures and straight away in the third minute we had to change everything because they decided to play different and then second half you have to change

again because they are going to adapt. So I think it's very challenging, the week is very difficult for us but also it's like, it's the kind of challenge that you are here for. And you are looking, okay, let's be ready because maybe they do this and maybe they change us and then they want to isolate this one and then they want to, and you have to be ready. You cannot control everything. But I think it's something that even you see, you feel the staff, the analysts, everyone giving an extra because they know that we really need. I said you may not prepare a lot

because you say you cannot control everything and it's impossible to control what Manchester City is going to do. So, but you still put a lot of effort. We do our homework, we prepare. Even if you have to change everything in three minutes, you feel like more safe when you have talked with the players about the options they have, how we are going to deal with those options, how we are going to attack also against those structures. But it's true that especially against City, you need to trust your players. Because sometimes the players have to take decisions live.

There is no time for interchange, every small information. And you have to trust that they will take the right decision when the moment comes. So I guess there's a balance between the amount of information you could give them and the amount of information that you give them. Yes, obviously. You have to try to put it in the most simple way, but in the case of City it's not easy. Even in the most simple way it's probably demanding for the players because you have to prepare for different scenarios. But there's a threat in your time at Bournemouth that against the big side you do well.

Do you know why? I think we've improved the second season. First season I think we were kind of good against teams like good but not fighting for the title. But we were not good enough to get points against Liverpool, against City, against Arsenal. The second season we've got points against those teams. Not against Liverpool, still I have that thing to get. But against the others we've won them and we've got points against big teams.

I think there is a step in the overall, in the team, and there is still a gap between us and those teams. But we are trying to reduce it, trying to be competitive and in a good game, in a good performance from some of our players. I think we can beat them. So is that a way to show the level you've got when you face these bigger sides? Yes, I think at the end, it the same three points but I think for the player it makes them believe when they face these teams and they see we can beat them, we've actually beat

Arsenal or we've actually beat City. It makes them believe a little bit more and you can use these three points for something else that just the points is to try to demand more for the players try to make them think that they are not as far as they think from from those players we more or less the same generation no the FA Cup was not on television in Spain I don't know if you watched it I don't know what you would have watched it but you still feel it's different, isn't it? Yeah, it's different. I love the FA Cup. I love the Cup competitions I love the Copa del Rey in Spain and the FA Cup I think has so much history behind

Even the ones that are from abroad that we haven't experienced it live No, you have heard so many stories of the FA Cup that for me is something very big. This game, I think we've been unlucky to play against City, the quarterfinals. We were really probably hoping for an easier game, but the reward is so big to play in Wembley. We've never played as a coach, as a player, never been in Wembley. So I think for us it's a huge game. So you haven't prepared the suit yet? No, no, no.

Obviously it's too early. No, we haven't. I think we have a big game still to play. I think probably they are the, probably not for sure, they are the favourites. But I hope we can give them a game here. If you look at clubs around in England, if you take as a manager, you team to the Champions League, they clap you, they love you. If you win the FA Cup, they put a statue.

So are you right? No, I agree. For me, the FA Cup, when I sometimes, some people say, no, you can go to Europe. You win the FA Cup and give you Europe. And I say, no, no, if I win the FA Cup, I give you the Europe. I give you the finalist, you can go to Europe, you win the FA Cup and give you Europe. And I said, no, no, if I win the FA Cup, I give you the Europe. I give you the finalist, you can go to Europe next season.

The FA Cup is for me much more important than playing in Europe, no? It's a title itself. So sometimes they talk about the Cup competitions of ways to go into Europe. And they say, no, no, I don't care about Europe. It's like we are playing a final or we are fighting for a title.

For me, these things are much more important. I hear you love the FA Cup. That's quite clear. Can you win it? I think we can win it. Probably we are not the favorites, especially with the opposition we have now in quarterfinals. But I think we have shown, we are three games away

of winning it. We have shown in a certain day, but I think we have shown, we are three games away of winning it. We have shown in a certain day, in a good day from our players, we can beat all the teams, and I think we have a chance, probably not as big as City or Villa or other teams, but I think we have our chance, yes.

You are showing, and I think you will show at the end of the season that you are improving that's quite clear to see but what do you think it will mean for the fans winning a title for the first time? I think even even traveling to Wembley I think everyone that I talked to they are not asking for the title they they want to go to Wembley and to travel and to go 30,000 because our stadium is really small. I think it's the smallest stadium so a lot of people they cannot go to the games because it's very difficult for them to get tickets and they want to go to Wembley and move with all the city there and experience Wembley. And I think would be a, even playing the semi-finals

would be a very big thing for us. By the way, you're gonna get a player that has changed in the last week in Din Hoisin. That guy that went to Spain, had to play with Spain when he's debuted with Spain, is a different guy that's coming back now. He was unbelievable. Yeah, I don't think it's been a surprise for us. I think has been very good all the

season. He started playing first game. I remember starting forest away against Chris Wood. He did a hell of a job and I think we started to realise, no, okay, yeah, he's 19, but probably he's more ready that we expected in this moment. And he has done an amazing season. For us, he cannot play against City. He's suspended in the cup, and I think it's gonna be a big miss, yes. Isn't it beautiful when football offers that, that shows you something you did not expect

to come as early, perhaps? Yes, I think it's probably one of the best moments as a manager, no? When you feel like it's not because of you, because Dinkhoi is in a right here, the first day he was very good already. But you've helped that player to make a big jump in one season and put him in a position

that he would have arrived anyway, in any team, in any competitions, he would have found a way to get to the top level. But I think it's a big reward for the staff, for the coaches, and to feel like how he's growing here still has a lot of room for improvement. That is a very good thing for him, but I'm very happy, yes, for him. You're going to treat him like any other day, or are you going to just give him a guard of honour?

No, no, no, no, no, no. I think he has to continue improving. He has a lot of things still to improve. He has obviously a very high level, but the more level you have, the more demanding we have to be, to try to help you to be the best player you can be. It's the challenge that every player, every manager have and in his case,

I think he can be very good. We are in this amazing training facility that has just been opened. In fact, if you don't mind me telling the story, you tried to open a door, you didn't have a key for it. I'm still learning the places and sometimes we get lost. But you walk in and you say, ah, right. This is the ambition I heard, no?

Yes, I think is is some big step for the club. I think the sometimes you have an owner that invests in the, I don't know, in signings, in in having two or three good seasons and then they forgot about the club. Bournemouth has been very lucky with Bill Foley. I think this facility is thinking in the mid-long term of the club because especially I think it's going to be big for the academy, try to improve I think it's going to be big for the academy, try to improve the homegrown players, give more chances to the people around us and obviously for us also. It's a big improvement. I think we meet all the demands of the Premier League and I think also for the players, I think it's a way of, we are going forward, we are making

big steps and try to invite them to follow our way. Is there a little bit of Fandoni Raola anyway? You said no, no, that doesn't go there. No, that's not the colour of the world. It should be another colour. No, I've not been very demanding. At the end, this is a facility that has been there for a lot of years. I don't know how many years I'm going to be here. But I think these decisions have to be made for people much more important than me. It's true that we've

tried to put our office, the desk, move the desk. I want the world like this. But the small things, not the big things. We haven't decided No, that's not a very be else a thing to do So we'll have enjoyed this one. Yes, definitely build it himself and and for you What does that mean as well? So you see everything growing around you and you think I want to be part of these for a long time. Oh, yeah I think it's is is Something that gives us energy.

Even now, it's the first week we train here, I see the players with a different attitude, with different energy. They see, I don't know, new ways, different, more boards, everything is tactile, everything is more modern. I think it's where football is going and I think the club is understanding where the Premier League is going and is trying to adapt to the new era. I feel lucky to be part of this change now in this moment. Have you been given more toys to play with?

I've been given some more toys, yes. We have a new boogie that we can train with, with life images and we can correct life things there. And we have to learn now to control everything. At the end, the game is the same. The problems will be the same. The football is going to be the same. But it's true that I think it's

going to be more attractive even for new players, new signings that you can make. It's always nice to come to these kinds of facilities. You touched on something I wanted to discuss with you, where football is going, where we're going next. And I know that you've got your own theories about it. And it seems to be like two schools of thought, you create even more robots of the players in which they have to be more reactive to, depending on what you prepared, and others that defend that they have to be more free. Which way are we going or are you going?

I think players, they don't demand freedom. You know, they demand to the coaches, give them organization, give them a structure. And then from that structure, they can feel free and they can take their own decisions. But I don't think if as coaches we come here, we tell the players, no, you can do whatever you want, take the ball, go wherever you want. In 30 minutes, they are already angry with us. They demand a lot of instructions, a lot of organization.

They demand information. They demand different options. They demand to really prepare very well the games. And with this preparation, then they are the ones taking the decisions and they are the ones making the difference. And I believe a lot in these things. But I think they are the first ones to demand us to study a lot and to prepare very well the games. That's why I get very annoyed in this new debate that's happening, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world, that says that Pep Guardiola's style is obsolete.

And what you have described is what he's been doing and what he's been leading the world to do. So he's here to stay. No, I think Pep Guardiola is the best manager I've known. I have no doubts. No doubts. And there is structures, there is organisation, there is multiple options. But at the end, what I think he tries to do is to put the player in the best scenery to

let him shine. You know, there is something collective behind, but I've suffered a lot against them. I've lost so many times against Barca, against... He has Flourish, I don't know. We can talk about all the players we know in Spain. We can talk about Messi. We can talk about big stars that they've shined with him. I think this is very like sometimes misunderstood. I agree with you. I think there are different styles, different way of doing the things, but in all of them, I would say, there has to be a lot of structure behind, a lot of work behind. And all the coaches, what we try to do is to put players in their best positions

and with the advantage we can provide them and then they have to be the ones deciding and we can do it in different ways. The Football Daily Podcast on BBC Sounds. It's the scandal that rocked Rugby Union to its core. The so-called Bloodgate scandal. Tom Williams now receiving attention. It seems so clear that this wasn't real blood. It's out and out cheating.

This is a story of lies and deception, conspiracies and cover-ups. There was terror that it could tear the house down. Courtroom drama and secret deals. So obviously a lie. And a human cost thatroom drama and secret deals. So obviously a lie. And a human cost that changed lives and careers forever. Dee Richards is found guilty and banned for three years.

I'm Ross Kemp and this is Sports Strangers Crimes, Bloodgate. Listen on BBC Sounds.