Antony-Iraola was interviewed by Paul Gorst at Liverpool's pre-season training camp in Chicago, discussing this weekend's match against Sunderland.

On the 10th floor of a luxury hotel in downtown Chicago, Antony-Iraola is reflecting on the coaching influences that shaped his managerial abilities.

It took the Basque coach 8 years to go from coaching AEL Limassol in the Cypriot league to one of the most important football clubs in the world, Liverpool.

Although he was influenced by famous coaches like Bielsa and Del Bosque, the guidance of one coach in particular was crucial in propelling Iraola to his current heights.

Iraola said: "If I had to choose one, I would always say Ernesto Valverde. He coached me in the youth academy and gave me my first team debut. I also played under him at the end of my career at Athletic Bilbao, and I learned a lot from him."

"People always ask me about Bielsa. I also played a few games with Del Bosque for the national team, and they are both excellent coaches. At the end of my career, after signing for New York City, I played under Patrick (Vieira), and he gave me a different perspective. But if I had to choose one, it would still be Valverde."

Two years ago, Liverpool considered Valverde when evaluating Klopp's successor, but his "reputation" at Anfield stemmed more from that 0-4 semi-final defeat in the Champions League seven years ago when he was Barcelona's manager.

However, for Iraola, the Athletic Bilbao legend left an indelible mark in a more positive way. Speaking to several media outlets during Liverpool's pre-season tour of the USA, Iraola said: "I think it's his common sense."

"He never exaggerates problems. He always understands the players, and he always firmly sticks to what he believes in. But I really like his approach to players, whether they are playing or not."

By 2026, the influence of Spanish, Basque, and Catalan coaches is ubiquitous in top-level football. Arteta, Ramiro Enrique, and Emery led their teams to win the Premier League, Champions League, and Europa League respectively last season, while Luis de la Fuente just led Spain to win the World Cup last week, building on their Euro 2024 triumph.

Guardiola's brilliant 10-year coaching tenure at Manchester City, which ended in late May, only further highlights the astonishing success the Catalan coach achieved at the Etihad Stadium.

For Iraola, as he takes his first steps on what he hopes will be an equally successful path at Anfield, these are all positive signs. But the high-pressing, proactive style of play he emphasizes – the very approach that earned him a two-year contract with Liverpool – is not typical of the Spanish style.

Iraola responded: "Spanish coaches have many different styles. The national team is always described as tiki-taka, passing, but even in the World Cup, you can see their excellent pressing and aggressive high press."

"Yes, they control the game with the ball, but another really important part is that everyone does their job without the ball. That's about being proactive without the ball. People always ask me why so many Basque coaches reach this level, and why so many Spanish teams win so many trophies."

"I always say that collective consciousness is very important. Spain has never been a country with the strongest physical conditions. If you look closely, they usually don't win medals in swimming and athletics."

"But in team sports, they are very strong. This is true for football, basketball, handball, and field hockey. They usually have very strong teams. We always put the team first."

"Take Rodri, for example. He didn't score or assist, but in the end, they won the World Cup, and he was named the best player of the tournament. Putting the team first is something that has been ingrained in our way of growing up."

Iraola hopes that his playing style can, to some extent, bridge the strained relationship between the team and the fans. Last season was difficult, with constant criticism, and there were even rare boos at Anfield after the final whistle on several occasions.

The 44-year-old coach insists this is also one of his top priorities after taking office, revealing: "I think the first thing is to try to play good football. I think football can help you the most, but it's not just about playing well."

"Of course, it helps a lot, but I think the fans must be able to see something on the pitch that they identify with. Sometimes it's not just about kicking the ball into the top corner."

"Many times, people watching the game will think... well, maybe they can't do those actions, but they can run, they can fight, they can press, and they can fight to the last moment in every tackle. When fans see their team's players playing like that, it's easier for them to get behind the team. I will encourage my team to give them these things."

"The most important thing we can offer is performance. No matter how well I speak or how right I am, in the end, people just want to see the team play well and get good results. I know this accounts for 90% of my job."

"For me, the most important thing now is to build a strong, hard-to-beat team. The team I envision, see, and think about now, if we can become that team, I believe we will succeed."

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