"Jamie Carragher Sounds Alarm: What Concerns Him Most About Liverpool's Hire of Andoni Iraola"

ANDONI IRAOLA’S expected entrance as Liverpool’s new boss is “a very worrying risk” insists Jamie Carragher.

The Spaniard is this week and has been lauded for taking into Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

Andoni Iraola is poised to become the new Liverpool head coach Credit: Getty Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher claims it is a risky move Credit: Getty

But Anfield legend isn’t convinced he would be the right appointment and can’t work out why there was no move for another Reds icon in ex-midfielder – .

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate by SkyBet , Carragher stressed: “Great managers make good players even better.

“This idea that you can just get anyone in as the coach, and the recruitment is everything, and the manager doesn’t matter – you just flip them – it matters at Liverpool.

“That’s my little thing about Alonso. ’s done a brilliant job, but it’s a big jump from Bournemouth to Liverpool.

“With Alonso, you’ve got the playing career, the CV, the managers he’s been managed by, what he did at – winning the league, getting to a European final, playing unbeaten football.

“And he’s managed . I know it didn’t go well, but he’s managed at that level. That scrutiny, that pressure.

“If they chose Iraola above Alonso because of some structural preference – that, for me, is very worrying for Liverpool going forward.”

Ex-vice skipper Carra also doubts whether Iraola, a free agent who at the end of the season after three years, has what it takes to cope with the demands of and football.

Carragher questioned why the Reds did not go for Xabi Alonso Credit: PA

His style, too, similar to former manager ’s “heavy metal” football, is open to question, according to the 48-year-old who made 737 Liverpool appearances and counts the Champions League amongst his honours.

He said: “When you’re in Europe you’ve got to rotate you’ve got to manage physically and I thought that would be the next step for him.

“Prove he can still produce the goods in a European season, and then he’d be ready for his next move.

“It almost feels like it’s a year too early. Listen, Jürgen Klopp proved that style of football can work in Europe that still needs to be proven by Iraola.

“Listen, we watched Iraola’s Bournemouth every week – no one can say you don’t love watching Bournemouth play.

“If they’re on the TV you’re watching them – you think : ‘ Oh, we’re going to see a good game.’

“The point being: how he plays. I made this point at the end of last season on Monday Night Football – we were looking at Chelsea’s managerial options and Iraola was there.

“And I actually said – and I can’t go back on it – I think Iraola would be making a mistake leaving Bournemouth, because the next thing he needs to prove is that brilliant, high-intensity football on a European stage.

“Iraola, I think we’d all say, is fantastic for what he’s done at Bournemouth.

“But if you’d have said to me a few weeks ago, would you sack Arne Slot and bring in Iraola, I’d be a little bit like: I’m not sure.

“And I say this about all the big six clubs – when they make an appointment, I look at it and think, can I see this man winning the league for this club?”

Arne Slot was sacked by Liverpool on Saturday Credit: Reuters