Andoni Iraola has lifted Bournemouth to unimaginable heights. It makes you wonder why he's leaving

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And amid a mess of emotions — City players strewn across the pitch, their title gone, and later, his young son crying tears of happiness and sadness all at once beside him — the manager beamed.  Despite his imminent departure, Iraola was proud of what he had just achieved on his final night in front of his adoring home fans. “It has been a hell of a ride,” he laughed over the stadium’s PA system. “Today has summed up the season and my three years here. In the end it is a process, and I’ve enjoyed it so much.” “When I first arrived, and we didn’t start so well, you were probably all thinking, ‘Who the f*** is this guy?’ But now we have the Europa League, and maybe next weekend, we can achieve even more.” There is plenty to celebrate. With a hard-fought point against City, Bournemouth extended what would have once been an unthinkable 17-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, and equalled their record points tally along the way. But as the crowd roared in appreciation for their outgoing manager, bringing a confusing night of heart-thumping football and teary farewells to a close, there was also a knowing acceptance that this was going to be the toughest of all their recent departures to take. In three whirlwind seasons, Iraola has taken Bournemouth to new heights. What was once an unassuming club, anxious about relegation whenever they poked their head into the Premier League, now plays with more ferocity and conviction than any of their top-flight competitors. Much of that is down to the style of play that Iraola has implemented, an aggressive, high-pressing system that aims to disrupt opposition build-up high up the pitch, and to maximise moments of disorganisation with sweeping attacks into the space.  It is a philosophy that has not only produced thrilling football, but has allowed Bournemouth to grow steadily within their means. Iraola’s tactics platform players with exceptional athleticism and power, helping the club to command significant fees for the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Milos Kerkez in recent years, while providing the recruitment team with clear parameters to identify the next wave of players who can develop quickly in their place. Sure enough, many of those replacements contributed to a blockbuster performance last night. Take a look at Bournemouth’s opener, as Marcus Tavernier swivels on the ball to find Adrien Truffert — signed for less than a third of the fee for which Kerkez was sold — charging forward down the flank. At full tilt, the 24-year-old has the presence of mind to pick out Eli Junior Kroupi with a cut-back, and the striker caps off a free-flowing move with an unstoppable curling finish into the far corner.  As intense as they are without the ball, Bournemouth tend to be just as impactful with it, stamping their authority on end-to-end contests with players who can consistently make a difference at speed. Entering the @premierleague record books 📚 Junior Kroupi, take a bow 💫 pic.twitter.com/vTAwVaUGN6 — AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 19, 2026 Of course, Iraola was not the only manager on the touchline with speculation swirling around his future. Pep Guardiola refuses to confirm whether he will leave City this summer after 10 glittering years at the club, despite The Athletic and various other news outlets reporting that he has called time behind the scenes. That Iraola was the man to end what could be his final Premier League title charge is fitting. In many ways, his Bournemouth team are a symbol of the modern Premier League side — fast, physical, tenacious — that finally rebelled against Guardiola’s era of dominance. By pushing up the pitch, defending aggressively, and refusing to be passed into submission by City’s all controlling football, Iraola helped to show that taking the game to their technically-superior opponents, and challenging them with hard-running and quick attacks, can yield results. The first of City’s defeats in the 2024-25 season came at the hands of Bournemouth, a result that kickstarted a miserable run of form that saw them pick up just one win in their next nine Premier League games. Since then, as much as they have tried to adapt, City have failed to exert the same control with possession of the ball in an increasingly physical league. Once again, Bournemouth presented Guardiola with a frenetic, unpredictable game, the kind of tactical headache that he probably will not miss if this is where his City career ends. As he alluded to after his lap of honour, Iraola still has a chance to make more history before he moves on. A win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, coupled with success for Aston Villa in the Europa League final this evening, would guarantee Bournemouth a Champions League place next season. “We are big Villa supporters,” the manager smiled. But such comments are bittersweet, with the knowledge that even if Bournemouth do secure their spot in Europe’s top continental competition, the inspirational Iraola will not be there to lead them. “Things have been so clear between the club, between myself and the players. Within two or three days everyone knew my decision, we all knew the next manager (Marco Rose) was coming in. So I think we have all tried to maximise the time and enjoy what we have.” “It has been difficult to make the decision to leave, there have been a lot of headaches. But once you decide, I think you feel relieved, and that has helped me to enjoy the last few months.” “I feel so, so happy that I have been able to give back to the club and the players.” It feels a strange way for Iraola to bow out, particularly considering that even he claims he does not know where he will end up next. But at least nobody can say that his Bournemouth career did not end on a high. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms