Leeds United manager news: Andoni Iraola update emerges Monday amid ‘shock’ Bournemouth development
Leeds United managerial target Andoni Iraola has landed the Bournemouth job and been announced Monday (19 June).
The former Rayo Vallecano boss was one of the top options to replace Jesse Marsch back in February but proved to be out of reach, then appeared set for the Almeria job this summer after leaving the Madrid-based club [Diario de Almeria, 12 June].
However, a surprise weekend announcement saw that role go to Vicente Moreno, putting Iraola back into the running late on for the Leeds United job, and Football League World reported Monday morning that the club had indeed been in contact to make “one last push”, but already the chances have been extinguished after the Cherries suddenly sacked Gary O’Neil the same day.
Crook reported on Twitter Monday afternoon: “Andoni Iraola is the front-runner to become AFCB new manager following Gary O’Neil’s shock sacking, talkSPORT understands. Was on Leeds’ list to replace Marsch and has just left Rayo Vallecano.
“Understand new manager could be announced as early as today. Bill Foley grateful for what O’Neil did last season but wants to go in a different. Like everyone else, I didn’t see this coming.”
Bournemouth then announced the 40-year-old soon after.
Crushed
Iraola wants to manage in the Premier League, as he admitted to Sky Sports on 17 May, and were it not for the sudden opening on the south coast he may well have seen a promotion push at Elland Road as his best chance this summer.
In a flash he now has a direct route, and it has moved fast enough for him to have already taken it.
Perhaps Iraola wouldn’t have been the right fit for Leeds United but it appears fans won’t get the chance to find out, and it will be of some frustration to the hierarchy if they are to again fail to land him having made a late attempt.
With the likes of Daniel Farke and Scott Parker linked to the Leeds job going into the weekend the Whites will presumably pivot back to focusing on them in light of their good records in the second tier.
It is a sign of how quickly the landscape can change in football, and it looks like O’Neil has been the unlucky one in a quick Cherries reaction to the fact that Iraola was suddenly on the market again.
The hope will have to be that no other “shock” moves suddenly crop up in the coming days to knock the other Elland Road contenders out of the running, with the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Steven Gerrard previously considered but already not possible.
The Whites need a manager and they need one quickly.
In other Leeds United news, a star man is in line for a cut-price exit as he is ready to make the move to be close to family.