Five facts about new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola

Andoni Iraola has been announced as Liverpool's new head coach.

The former Bournemouth manager is thought to have signed a two-year contract with the club.

It comes after the surprise sacking of Arne Slot - who guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season in charge.

Spaniard Iraola said he understood "what is expected" but added that he was ready for the challenge.

But, what do we know about him? Here are five things you might not know about the Reds' new boss...

As a child, Iraola played for his local team, called Antiguoko, which was based in the Basque Country in northern Spain.

But did you know that he wasn't the only Premier League manager to play for the same youth club.

Iraola's teammates were none other than Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta - as well as new Chelsea head coach as Xabi Alonso!

They played football on the beach as children, but only when the tide was out.

Iraola told the BBC last year: "It's incredible because when we were seven, eight, nine, I played with Mikel Arteta, I played with Xabi Alonso.

"We are more or less the same age, playing sometimes against each other because I was in a school and they were in other schools when we were playing on the beach.

"Then after we played together in a small club... and now it's amazing that we see each other on the football pitches almost 40 years later."

Iraola went on to join the academy of Spanish team Athletic Bilbao, who famously only pick players with ties to the Basque Country.

There he progressed through the youth system to the senior team - making 510 appearances in total across 12 seasons.

He even became club captain, and reached two Copa del Rey finals, a Europa League final and qualified for the Champions League.

He was also capped seven times by Spain at senior international level, playing mainly in defence, at right-back.

When Iraola was playing in La Liga - Spain's top football league - he was working hard both on the pitch and in the classroom.

That's because Iraola with also studying for a law degree at university.

For a while, Iraola did not think he would make football his main job, and he started to study for a degree in law at a local university.

However, three years into his degree, he decided to drop out, so that he could focus on his professional football career.

After leaving Athletic Club in 2015, Iraola moved abroad for the first time in his career.

He signing for Major League Soccer (MLS) club New York City FC, where he played alongside England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard - now himself a mamanger of newly-promoted Coventry.

However, just over a year later - Iraola announced his retirement from the game.

After retiring from the game, Iraola turned his attention to coaching.

His first management job took him to Cyprus, before heading back to Spain, where he continued to build his reputation as a coach.

In 2023, he was signed by Bournemouth, where he spent three successful seasons - leading the Cherries to qualify for next season's Europa League for the first time in their history.

What do you think about Liverpool's new manager? Will he be successful?

Let us know in the comments...