Andoni Iraola has again shared his delight at how things are going at Bournemouth, following an impressive first season with the Cherries.
The Bournemouth manager has been speaking to Unión Rayo about the club after appearing in a legends match for former club Rayo Vallecano.
The Spanish boss swapped Rayo for Bournemouth last summer, arriving as a replacement for Gary O’Neil, a decision that was questioned at the time after O’Neil had impressed in charge at the club.
That decision appeared to be a poor one as Iraola struggled to get Bournemouth going in his first nine matches and the Cherries looked like relegation candidates.
His ideas soon clicked into place, though, and a superb run saw them becoming one of the in-form teams before Christmas and continuing that into the second half of the campaign to ultimately secure a 12th placed finish.
That saw Iraola being touted as one of the managers of the season, with the Cherries finishing just a point outside of the top ten despite their winless run to start the season.
Things at the club are looking rosy and Iraola is certainly happy, seeing similarities with his former club too.
“In football you never know, I am very happy in England, and I have renewed for another season,” he said.
“The contract in the coaching world is not of much use, but I want to try to do very well there. Bournemouth’s project is very good, young people with a long career.
“That has a close similarity with Rayo, although Rayo has more history than Bournemouth, but it does have a humble feeling. Each club has its characteristics, but with similarities.”
