Andoni Iraola’s move to Liverpool has brought a burst of excitement, but it also comes after a season in which the mood around Anfield turned sharply against Arne Slot.
By the end, Slot had lost the support of too many fans and his exit felt inevitable, even if the speed of another managerial change still leaves Liverpool in a delicate place.
Iraola’s appointment has plenty of logic and plenty of appeal, especially after his work at Bournemouth, but there are doubts too. As for John Barnes, he wants Liverpool to get behind the Spaniard properly and stay there if the first few weeks are not perfect.
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John Barnes warns Liverpool fans not to rush Andoni Iraola judgement
Barnes was vocally behind Slot during the final months of last season, and even criticised Mohamed Salah while discussing how difficult the situation had become for the manager.
Now, he is taking a similar line with Iraola. Barnes is not saying Liverpool supporters should ignore concerns, but he clearly does not want Anfield to become the kind of place where a new manager is under huge pressure within weeks.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Barnes said: “I’m not worried. What I’m worried about is that if we don’t hit the ground running and win matches, they’re going to say, ‘Well, sack him.’
“I mentioned Manchester United, when they had a great manager in David Moyes, and because he didn’t do what Fergie did, all of a sudden Louis van Gaal, who was a great manager, then Jose Mourinho… I don’t want to get to that stage whereby, if a manager comes in and he doesn’t do well straight away, we say, ‘Let’s sack him.’
“The hierarchy don’t sack managers. The fans sack managers now. There’s no way Liverpool would have sacked Slot if the fans backed him, but they knew it got to the stage whereby the fans were never going to accept him.
“So what’s going to happen if Iraola comes and he doesn’t win in the first four or five matches? What are you going to do then? That’s why you have to stick with it.”
That is a fair warning. It is also worth remembering Iraola’s Bournemouth start. They did not win any of their first nine Premier League games under him, but the work eventually showed and his side became one of the most impressive teams in the division.
There is already support for the appointment, with Nicky Butt giving a positive view on Iraola being a good appointment for Liverpool.
The doubts are natural. Liverpool is a different size of job, with different pressure and far less patience. But if Iraola is the club’s choice, then he needs time, backing and support, not a judgement after one bad month.
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