Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams says he will miss Andoni Iraola when the manager leaves at the end of the Premier League season, with the club heading into Tuesday’s man city vs bournemouth clash still holding an outside shot at Champions League qualification. Adams, who arrived with Iraola in the summer of 2023, said the Spaniard has transformed the team and could move on to a bigger job.
“I’ll miss him a ton. I mean, he’s a great guy, a great person,” Adams said. “Football aside, just the conversations that we have and how he’s helped me as a player and a person.”
That bond began before Adams ever wore Bournemouth colors. He said he first spoke to Iraola when he was switching clubs and coming to Bournemouth in the summer of 2023, and knew then that the manager’s ideas matched the way he wanted to play. Adams added that he did not expect the partnership to work as quickly or as fully as it has, saying he has taken on a far more important role than he imagined.
The timing gives Tuesday’s match against Manchester City extra weight. Bournemouth have two matches left in the league and are still in the conversation for a place in next season’s Champions League, while City arrive as title chasers. A strong result would keep that faint hope alive and sharpen the spotlight on a team that has changed sharply since Iraola and Adams arrived together.
Adams said Iraola’s impact goes well beyond one season. “So yeah, he’s an incredible manager. He’s going to coach big teams whenever he wants to take that next step or where he’s going to go. It will be interesting, but he’s amazing. He’s really changed the direction of the club and taken it to new heights,” he said.
The reason for Iraola’s departure is straightforward: he is out of contract at the end of the season. One report, cited by Julien Laurens, said that could help explain why he is leaving now and where he might end up in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino also due to announce his World Cup roster next week in New York. For Bournemouth, though, the immediate focus is simpler — keep the season alive long enough for the final two matches to matter.
