Ahead of the new Premier League season, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola sat down for an interview with Roger Bennett, host of the "Men in Blazers" podcast, at the club's training ground. He discussed managing the club in a new era, the team's future plans, the enormous pressure of competing in the Premier League and Champions League, plans involving Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, and how he wants to win over Liverpool fans. Below is part two of the interview.

Read more: [Iraola: Wirtz always wants the ball, I tell him to be patient; I'm satisfied with the depth of our defensive line]

Your style of play and training methods are remarkably intense. During pre-season, you mentioned that players need to improve their stamina, saying, "They can't even run for 30 minutes right now; it will take time to build their physical reserves." You understand that Premier League and Champions League seasons are marathons, not sprints. Ideally, when would you like your team to reach peak physical condition? Which month?

Yes, I've realized that since arriving at Liverpool, I have to be very careful about what I say and do. When I talk about 30 minutes and such things, I'm not just referring to physical condition, but also mental state during a match. When people start to tire, there's often a tendency—you lose focus, you think, "Okay, a throw-in doesn't matter, let them have it. It's fine if I get back into position a bit late." So these are things that require mental effort, and we have to be ready to face them, like maintaining complete focus for 90 minutes. This isn't just about the legs, but the mental effort you need to expend to stay sharp and never ease off, even when we're ahead. No, we absolutely cannot give any chances to opponents, because once you start to relax a bit, the opponents we face are very strong, and they will gradually overtake you, and then it's very difficult to turn things around. I think in these moments, the mental demands can be higher than the physical demands.

At Liverpool, I'm fascinated by the Kop. I mean, it's a tradition, and it's a living force that determines the mood of this club. Jürgen Klopp once told us that he sees himself as an emotional conductor for those fans, deliberately stirring their emotions at crucial moments. When winning, the fans love when he comes close to them, raises his fist in celebration; those emotional connection moments after the match are always beautiful. And from what we know about you, you're more reserved in the technical area. What should the Kop expect from you, Andoni?

My ambition is to win many matches, so that I can feel like I'm part of them. When you arrive at a club, especially one like Liverpool, you have to demonstrate your quality to establish yourself here. We're currently in the process of: "Okay, let's win matches, let's perform well, let's achieve success," so that we truly feel, deep down, that we are part of this. And that's the challenge we have to face.

Let matches and results be the thread connecting you, rather than direct interactions.

Ultimately, even though I'm currently in an excellent position, you want to prove that you deserve this role, to prove that Liverpool made the right decision in putting me in this position. And all of these things, you can only achieve through excellent matches, beautiful football, and good results, so that everyone can be proud, and I can feel secure and celebrate with everyone.

Whenever you talk about the role of manager and players, I'm always very curious. You've always been very humble and respectful of the players. You've mentioned that managers should avoid making themselves the main character. We always treat the manager as the face of the team, elevating them as if it's a battle between managers. This is something you once said: "Ultimately, we're not that important. Ultimately, the match belongs to the players." I'd always like to know, Andoni—what percentage would you say the importance of Premier League managers and their decisions represents?

I think this sport is about the players. If I can win titles, it's because I have very good players. I have to maximize their potential. But if the quality of the players doesn't meet the requirements, then nothing is possible, no matter how good a manager you are. Coaching is about providing them with the right environment, helping them tactically, understanding their needs, and sometimes demanding from them. But ultimately, their technical level is what determines whether we can win, win titles, or achieve anything else.

Jürgen Klopp always said he's their friend, but not their best friend. How would you describe that relationship?

Sometimes, because we too were players and have experienced time in the dressing room, our tendency is to get too close to the players. But over time, you gradually realize that afterwards, you have to make some difficult decisions. You have to be completely honest and put the team's interests first, so you realize that you must maintain a certain distance. Maintaining distance means that whenever you speak to them, your words carry more weight and there's a sense of mutual respect. I would say that's the secret to managing.

You led Bournemouth to their highest-ever Premier League position, which was remarkable. But when you first arrived at Bournemouth, you didn't win any of your first nine matches. We've discussed this many times. You kept telling people, "My tactical philosophy needs time to take effect." How long should Liverpool fans expect to wait before they see the "Iraola style" truly take shape?

I certainly hope they don't have to wait that long! I think when you change clubs and change a team's style, it's not easy. That happened at Bournemouth, and it's happening at Liverpool now. Nothing can be perfect immediately. But I'm very confident in my current players, and I think we're in a good position—even if we can't achieve 100% from the start, we can still win matches and be a good team. I think we've had some bright moments during pre-season. While not a perfect performance, for me, those signs are still very encouraging, enough for us to start the new season well.

You have a wonderful quote about this sport that I absolutely love. This is something you once said: "Ultimately, we have to enjoy this sport. If you don't even allow yourself a bit of space to dream, it becomes boring and dull." For Liverpool this season, what would be the minimum that would make you proud? And what dreams can Liverpool fans have for this season?

From my personal perspective, I'm very clear that I want to enjoy this season. I want to enjoy it. I know the responsibility on my shoulders, I know the pressure, I know people will have the highest expectations for us, but I still want to enjoy it on this stage. Because ultimately, it's just a game. If you can't see through that, you might make less courageous decisions when faced with choices. You won't be as comfortable, you will... I think sometimes to achieve great things, you also have to be prepared to lose a lot. My objective is first to win the trust of the players, then to win the support of the fans, and if all those things become reality, I think we'll perform well.

Good luck with the new season, Andoni. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

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