Andoni Iraola believes that one of his priorities at Liverpool will be to create “a very difficult team to beat” and says that he is well aware that the fans “just want to see the team play well and deliver good results”.
Iraola, 44, replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach after the end of last season, when Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League and lost a club record 20 games across all competitions.
“For me now, it is about creating a very difficult team to beat,” Iraola told reporters in Chicago.
“The team that I envisage now, that I see and think of – if we become that team – I think we are going to be successful.
“But you have to do the job. You have to create a team; improve the team. You have to find the best positions for every player – the good combinations for the team – and that is what we’re now using the time for.”
Liverpool travelled to Chicago on Monday for their pre-season tour of the US, which starts with a friendly against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday before games against Wrexham in New York and Leeds United in Chicago.
“The most important thing that we can deliver is our performances. It doesn’t matter if I speak well or if I don’t speak well or if I say the right things or if I don’t say the right things,” said Iraola.
“At the end, people just want to see the team play well and deliver good results. I know this is 90% of my job.”
And the Basque coach revealed that things moved pretty quickly after he announced that he was stepping down from the Bournemouth job after three years on the south coast.
Iraola was Liverpool’s main candidate when the decision was made to sack Slot at the end of May.
“It happened quite fast,” said Iraola. “Honestly, yes it was true that I was talking with some clubs.
“I think it was the first or second week after the season ended. Liverpool contacted me, and it didn’t take a lot [to say yes].”