Semenyo warns Liverpool players over Iraola’s work ethics

Antoine Semenyo has given Liverpool fans a compelling insight into what it was like working under Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth.

The Spaniard is the early favourite to become the Reds’ next head coach following his departure from the Vitality Stadium this week and the sacking of Arne Slot last Saturday.

Manchester City’s new forward played under the 43-year-old for two-and-a-half years with the Cherries before his move to the northwest in January, and during an appearance on the In the Mixer podcast last month, he revealed what it was like to work under Iraola.

“I didn’t see it at the start. When he came in, he had his way of playing and it was very new to us, the way he structured the weeks. We didn’t really have any days off, so it’s very hard for a team to go from having Wednesday/Sunday off to having no days off.

“We would play on the Saturday and train on the Sunday, and the players in the starting XI would do the first 30-40 minutes of the session. You’re hanging; your legs are gone. You’re doing the possession [drill] and you’re running around and thinking, ‘Oh dear!’

“It was very different at the start. The results weren’t going our way and the fans were saying he needs to be sacked. I think we beat Burnley at home and everything changed. Everyone slowly got used to the system and it just went up from there.”