Iraola discusses the style of play he has brought to Cherries

Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola is gearing up for his second Premier League season <i>(Image: Richard Crease)</i>
Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola is gearing up for his second Premier League season (Image: Richard Crease)

ANDONI Iraola believes the style of play he has brought to Cherries is “quite similar” to what he implemented at Rayo Vallecano.

Iraola had a successful three-year stint with the Madrid-based club, winning promotion and securing two mid-table La Liga finishes.

He joined Cherries last summer and guided them to 12th in the Premier League, achieving a club-record top-flight points tally along the way.

Asked if he has had to change his style or approach to adapt to English football, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “At the end, every coach has a place where we kind of feel more comfortable.

“You see a lot of stats we had previously in Spain, in the last two or three years.

“We see the stats that we have here and they are not very different.

“There are a lot of things where we were good, we continue being good.

“There are things that players add, or they are not so good or they change or modify a little bit.

“But the style, looking at the overall stats, is quite similar.”

Iraola’s second season at Cherries begins away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, August 17 (3pm).