​Andoni Iraola opened his official unveiling by stating that he would like to bring in more players to strengthen the Liverpool squad as quickly as possible. After bidding farewell to Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konate at the end of last season, Liverpool have so far added only Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz this summer, while transfer guru Michael Edwards announced his departure from the club for the second time last week. In his first press conference, Iraola stressed that the club is working hard behind the scenes to secure additional signings despite the recent upheaval at Anfield. “Obviously we’ve signed two players already, but we need more players. We know this. The club is working on this,” Iraola said. “As a coach, selfishly, you want the players here on day one, ready to train for pre-season. But we understand that football doesn’t work like that, and I know the club is working hard to get those signings, and I am trying to help as well.”
One player who has returned to Liverpool after a nightmare loan spell at Aston Villa last season is Harvey Elliott. Iraola made it clear that the 23-year-old will be given the opportunity to break into his plans. Asked whether Elliott would have the chance to impress, Iraola replied: “Definitely. Harvey is here with us. I’ve seen him with this eagerness to show himself and get himself ready again. He will have a chance during pre-season. We will need him. It’s a good sign that he arrived a week early and has been training with the under-21s. I hope we can see him in a good place. Last season was very difficult for him. It was a strange situation where they couldn’t even play him, and I think he uses this, the hardship he endured, to fuel his determination to become a Liverpool player.”
Iraola also spoke about embracing the “magic” of being Liverpool’s head coach, acknowledging the enormity of the role as he prepares to officially begin pre-season. The former Bournemouth manager, who starts pre-season officially on Tuesday with a limited squad due to World Cup commitments, conceded that he will not fully grasp the magnitude of the step up from the Cherries until he is immersed in the Anfield environment. He remains committed to the challenge ahead and to remaining true to himself, even as the spotlight intensifies. “I want to think I understand. Probably not until you are here and through certain experiences will I fully know, but I am here to experience those situations, and I am ready for it,” he said during his inaugural press conference. He also acknowledged the heightened scrutiny that accompanies the job, noting, “I understand that this is a massive club; everything I say now will be subject to the greatest scrutiny, so you have to be very aware of the mistakes.”