Inside Liverpool: How the dressing room has reacted to the arrival of Andoni Iraola

Andoni Iraola’s appointment as Liverpool head coach has reportedly gone down well inside the dressing room, and that feels like an important early win for the club.

According to The Athletic, senior Liverpool players are excited about the Spaniard’s arrival after a difficult end to Arne Slot’s time in charge.

Liverpool officially confirmed Iraola as their new head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season, with the 43-year-old replacing Slot after three impressive years at Bournemouth.

The mood around Liverpool badly needed a lift. Slot’s reign ended with negativity building around the squad, and when that happens, even talented teams can start to feel heavy.

The Athletic report claimed that people close to senior players now sense excitement, positivity and the feeling of a clean slate.

Andoni Iraola is expected to bring Liverpool out of crisis

That matters because Iraola is not walking into a broken squad, he is walking into a group that still has quality, but needs direction, energy and belief.

Iraola earned this opportunity through his work at Bournemouth.

Liverpool’s official announcement noted that he led the club into Europe for the first time in their history after a sixth-place Premier League finish last season.

That achievement says a lot about his coaching. He did not have the biggest squad or the biggest budget, but he built an aggressive, organised and brave team.

Players are delighted to see the Spaniard replace Slot

For Liverpool’s players, that could be refreshing. Iraola likes front-foot football, pressing, quick transitions and intensity, all things that traditionally connect with Anfield.

He is expected to bring key members of his Bournemouth staff with him, which should help him implement his ideas quickly.

The senior players’ positive reaction is a very good sign. New managers need buy-in quickly, especially at a club like Liverpool where expectations are always huge.

Iraola will still have to prove he can handle the pressure, but if the dressing room is already open to his ideas, that gives him a strong platform.