Reputed Celtic managerial contender Andoni Iraola has taken over at English Premier League club Bournemouth. The club surprisingly sacked manager Gary O’Neil, despite their former player guiding them to safety in England’s top-flight this campaign. It’s a bold move by the Cherries and one which they hope will pay off after parting company with O’Neil.
Andoni Iraola, Head Coach of Rayo Vallecano, looks on during the LaLiga Santander match between Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano at Estadio Benito Villamarin on May 15, 2023 in Seville. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The former Rayo Vallecano boss had become a free agent after his spell with the La Liga side came to an end and he decided against renewing his contact. A pupil of Marcelo Bielsa and his style of play, he earned rave reviews for the way in which he managed to elevate a small Spanish club to compete with opponents whose resources far exceeded their own.
The ex-Athletic Bilbao defender had been rumoured to have thrown his name into the mix for the vacant position at Celtic Park, following the exit of Ange Postecoglou at the beginning of the month. Apparently he had sent his CV to the club and was looking for an interview, yet nobody knows the validity of such reports as it stands.
In the end, it seemed as though there were only really two possible candidates in the newly anointed Brendan Rodgers and Manchester City assistant, Enzo Maresca, who has now joined Rodgers’ old club Leicester City.
Iraola’s way of playing the game is very interesting indeed and it would have been an intriguing proportion if he would have taken over at Parkhead. Still, I guess we’ll never know as we have our preferred man for the job and he has now joined our ex-boss Ange Postecoglou in the hyper-inflated Premier League. It will be quite the thing to see how their styles’ get on in the supposed ‘best league in the world’.
Paul Gillespie
HUGE SAVINGS IN THE CELTIC STAR’S SUMMER SALE!
The Celtic Star’s book promotion has been so successful, with hundreds of books at great prices being posted to Celtic fans all over the world, that we’ve decided to continue with the sale until the end of July. We’ve reduced all six books currently available from their usual retail price of £20 and prices are as low as £6 (see below).
All books are high quality hardback, with some signed by the author. And it’s also worth noting that you only pay postage on one book, so it’s free for the second, third and so on. ORDER HERE or click on The Celtic Star image above…this is how it feels to be Celtic!
