Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Andoni Iraola has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Newcastle United 2 – 2 Liverpool
Sunday 23 August, St James’ Park
Andoni Iraola — Liverpool (away)
10/12 · Identity level fed: Belonging
“It’s a strange feeling. It’s not the result you wanted coming here but the way it ended, it tastes better.”
“We probably started the worst way. We knew Newcastle was at home with their atmosphere. Newcastle have very fast players in the top line, in transition. They punished us and we had to go against the result. We haven’t given up in any moment. I value a lot the energy especially the subs. Pleased we come away with one point.”
“Once you concede the first goal you need the game to go fast. The more things that happen in the game the better. We managed to control the game better in the second half, had more of the ball around their box. We conceded on another second very long transition. We had the numbers but we conceded.”
“Jeremy hasn’t done a proper preseason in terms of minutes. All of the subs gave us energy. Koumas, Victor, Mac Allister, they’ve given us energy that we need.”
Iraola came away with a point he did not expect and was straightforward about how it happened. Liverpool started badly, Newcastle punished them in transition twice, and the second goal came from the same situation as the first with his side having the numbers back. He names what he valued, the energy off the bench, and the players who brought it. What he does not do is look ahead. The account of the game is clear, and the week after it is left blank.
Source: NBC Sports, “Andoni Iraola reaction: What did Liverpool manager say after comeback draw at Newcastle?” — nbcsports.com
Matchweek 2
Liverpool 2 – 2 Nottingham Forest
Saturday 29 August, Anfield
Andoni Iraola – Liverpool (home)
8/12 · Identity level fed: Capability
On the result and how he saw the game:
I think it has been quite clear, the first half has been poor from our side. I think we haven’t been good enough, we haven’t controlled the game and afterwards we improved a lot in the second half. We were much more intense, much quicker on the ball with more sense of urgency, and I think that we have been much better. But it hasn’t been enough to win the game, and I think we have to blame the first half that we’ve done.
On whether he is frustrated with the draw:
Yes. I’m frustrated because we want to win – especially at home. It’s not a good result to draw at home. It’s true that we’ve come back from two results where we were losing, like the other day against Newcastle.
But at the end what makes the difference are the wins and the three points. I like what we’ve done in the second half, but we haven’t been able to complete the comeback and the point. It leaves you frustrated, yes.
On Forest’s penalty and the delayed substitutions:
Yes, I cannot explain because I don’t have explanation. I wanted to make those three subs like three minutes before. And there have been two, three or four times I think the ball has gone out and I still don’t know the reason why we haven’t made the subs. I think definitely he was having some problems with the board or something.
[It] would have happened, definitely. You stop [the game] because you want to sub [but] it doesn’t happen. The quick throw-in, because we are waiting for the subs, so if I ask for the sub, and I already asked and I complained even the previous time that the ball went out and everyone was – even the supporters, I think they were shouting – aware of the situation, but I don’t know the reason why they haven’t done it.
And the penalty, I leave you to decide if it’s a penalty or not.
On Víctor Muñoz:
I think Victor has been very good [in] both games. I like that sometimes he hasn’t taken the best decisions, has sometimes made some fouls and everything hasn’t been perfect but he’s continued trying all the time. He’s gone again and again and I like this a lot from the wingers. The other day he contributed with the penalty and today with the goal.
I think he has been always a threat. And also defensively he has helped us a lot, so I’m happy with him, yes.
On Florian Wirtz:
Yes, accepting and assuming that it has been a poor first half, we’ve also been very unlucky, you know, because their goal, I thought honestly like it looked offside [in real time] then there is a heel of someone [playing them onside]. Then there’s the VAR decision, the goal from Florian, even I think Forest was not complaining. We were not really aware and then there is a VAR decision that goes against you.
It would have been lovely for us and for Florian to score the goal and it’s still the first half and it’s 1-1. Obviously it leaves you in a much better position for the second half. In the second goal also he does very well. He does very, very well.
Florian is very good. I trust him a lot. I think we have to find the best way to use him. I think his position from my side is quite clear and the more he plays with us I think the better he will be.
I have very little doubt.
On the transfer window:
I cannot tell you anything different right now. It’s true that there are things going on, like is normal because we are talking about the last weeks of the market, but now we have to wait. I’m looking forward to having the squad [on] September 2, [so we can say] this is who we are and working with certainties. Now everything is quite like uncertain and it’s the same for every team, but it’s how the competition works.
Now we have to wait just some [more] days and work with what we have after the market closes.
On Cody Gakpo and the right wing:
With the wingers, obviously normally they have a preferred position, but we normally analyse the match-ups, analyse what they have to do on one side, what they need to do on the other side. We decided with Rio [Ngumoha] and Victor to change them at the end. I think they have to get used [to that]. I think he [Gakpo] was going to be one of the subs when we scored the goal, he made a great play and then we were creating momentum.
I decided to leave them a little bit more – three, four minutes – to see if we could use this momentum to score a second one. When it went a little bit more plain, we decided to do those subs. That goal and the other one were, I think, very good goals.
On starting games quicker:
I think what we do without the ball affects a lot after our play in possession. I think in the first half we were being passive without the ball, leaving a lot of distance, leaving them joining some passes, becoming a little bit comfortable. After we improved this and that matter of intensity, being closer to the opposition gives you the chance to win duels and then you start attacking quicker, attacking better.
This lack of intensity without the ball I think has hurt us and also we’ve had issues today with the throw-ins. Not only the long throw-in, just the throw-ins because the first ball comes from a throw-in [that] we don’t defend well in the right side after there is a long throw-in and after comes, obviously the second goal comes from that situation.
On whether the squad is equipped for his ambitions:
We are talking now about the hypothesis because we don’t know what’s going to be the squad on September 2. I think every analysis that I can make is when I know and when everything finishes, when I know who’s going to be here all the season or at least until January. So now, we’ve waited all the summer, so we have to wait two, three more days, analyse and see what we have when the market closes.
Iraola gives a detailed account of the poor first half and the changes in intensity, distance and urgency that improved the second. Muñoz receives credit for persistence and Wirtz is told the manager trusts him. The squad answer pulls in the opposite direction. Iraola waits for the window to close before saying “this is who we are”, which suggests the players already there are not yet a group he is willing to back. The first-half criticism is not clearly made Narrow or Fleeting, and no lasting team SQA is set against it. The tactical path is useful; the belief underneath it is much less secure.
Source: Liverpool FC, full post-match press conference, source page
Matchweek 3
Ipswich Town 0–2 Liverpool
Portman Road · Isak 6′, 9′
Andoni Iraola (Liverpool)
Source: liverpoolfc.com, “Andoni Iraola press conference: Ipswich 0-2 Liverpool”, 4 September 2026
Q: On Liverpool’s professional performance?
Yes, very pleased with the win, obviously. We needed this win and as well with the performance – especially [in the] first half we have been a very good team. We put a lot of pressure to the opposition and I think we started really strong in the game. I think that we learned, probably, the lessons from the last two games where we conceded early goals and today we didn’t want this to happen, and we were really strong in the first half. In the second half also, I think in a different way. We controlled the game, we defended well, but we didn’t have this threat offensively, probably. But overall, I think it’s a game to finish quite pleased [about].
Q: On Isak looking like the player Liverpool were so keen to sign?
Yes, with Alex, if he’s fit, if he’s available, if he’s in good shape, I think he will produce the numbers. My demands with Alex will not be about the goals, probably. It will be about other things, I will demand other things so we can play well and if we play well, we are in good positions, the goals will come. I think he has to contribute to the collective and when everyone helps, I think after the goals and the other stuff will come.
Q: On Gakpo’s impact?
I have no doubt with Cody. He has been very good all the pre-season, has started very well this season, producing numbers. Today again, after the two assists, he finishes [the game at] No.9 to help us close the game. I think it’s good to have Cody because he can play in the three positions up top and to have him in this place for this beginning of the season is good.
Q: Does Gakpo’s attitude indicate how strong his mentality is?
Cody knows how much we value him, I think there is no doubt. I rate him very highly. I will demand from him, obviously, because there is also a strong competition for minutes because we have good players in those positions and it’s a matter of pushing each other. With Bradley, with Rio [Ngumoha], with Victor [Munoz], it’s a matter that sometimes they will start, sometimes they come from the bench, sometimes they will not play. But this competition, I think is going to be good for all of them.
Q: First impressions of Barcola?
I think Bradley hadn’t played a single minute since the World Cup so we needed to be careful. I think he is training well, in a good place, and I think that he has helped us. Probably, we haven’t found him in a couple of situations where I think he was going against the ‘keeper, but we haven’t really seen his movements. And also he has had a very good counter, very good passing side that I think Cody finished, but we didn’t score. But he was always a threat, you know? When he carries the ball, I think you can feel this threat and I’m happy because I think 30 minutes is going to be good for his fitness, for his build-up, and we will continue because now we play a lot of games, so he will have a chance to play more.
Q: Will fans need to be patient with Barcola due to his lack of game time?
I think it’s normal, he hasn’t played any pre-season minutes. I think he’s still in a good place. I don’t think he will need something like a very special build-up, but we have to be aware that he hasn’t been playing in a while and the demands of the games are very different from training, so we got to consider this.
Q: Relieved to get a first win after it took 10 Premier League games at Bournemouth?
Definitely. That couldn’t happen today because I think two points also don’t reflect our two first games, but it was the points we had. So, definitely we couldn’t lose any more today and I’m happy because I believe we controlled quite well the game.
7/12 · Identity level fed: Capability
Iraola connects the clean sheet and strong start to lessons from the previous two matches, and he gives Gakpo and Barcola some useful praise. A subtler pattern weakens the message. His Attention Direction repeatedly points towards External motivators: numbers, competition for minutes and selection. Numbers are Other. They do not tell a player what he can find within himself to know he is good enough or which Self qualities produce those numbers. Iraola also expresses relief at the first win, which does not communicate strong confidence in the side. The collective standards are valid, but the players receive too little Internal evidence of their own Capability.
Matchweek 4
Liverpool 0–0 Fulham
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool: 11/12
“There is a lack of freshness, definitely.”
Iraola links Liverpool’s tiredness to the short recovery time after their previous match. That is a specific reason for this performance, rather than a claim that the players lack ability. He recognises that the schedule will bring similar demands and says the team must adapt.
He also explains what improved: Liverpool became more organised, controlled the second half better and defended well. He identifies set plays and different ways of creating chances, while encouraging individual players through their training and progress. The players receive reassurance and practical work to do. His aim is more clearly expressed as improving their play than as a confident statement about the next result.
Breakdown: Towards 1 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Draw Leadership 2
Source: post-match press conference
Matchweek 5
AFC Bournemouth 0–1 Liverpool
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool: 5/12
“We were not comfortable in the first half, and I think towards the end of the first half, and especially second half, we found better positions on the ball, and we could control the game better.”
“He’s still very young, needs like everyone else to improve certain things, but I think he’s showing composure, he’s showing confidence, and we are happy.”
“I think he’s the third clean sheet in a row… I’m really happy for him.”
Iraola uses the win to review Liverpool’s difficult opening honestly. Better positions, greater control and a stronger second half explain how the match changed. Jeremy Jacquet’s composure and confidence are clear SQAs, while the third clean sheet in a row gives those qualities evidence.
The language is balanced, but bland. There is little broader Identity or future Outcome beyond continued improvement. Iraola does not use the confidence of the win to inspire the team or give them constructive guidance about what to do better next time, so he earns no Good Winner* points.
Breakdown: Towards 1 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 1 · Identity 1 · Path 0 · Good Winner* 0
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Liverpool 0–3 Manchester City
Sunday 11 October 2026, Anfield, Liverpool.
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool: 4/12
Identity level: Safety.
I think the first foul of Ryan is never a yellow card – never. This kind of game, just a stomp in the big toe or something like minor. He [the referee] doesn’t even call the foul straight away – he lets it go. I think Elliot Anderson does a couple of steps, he decides to go down. I don’t know why after he shows the yellow card because it’s not a situation where he leaves an advantage. We had nine players behind the ball, it was in the middle of the pitch, no danger there.
But I think the players deserve credit today because I think they’ve given everything.
I think also the supporters have been fantastic today – fantastic before, during, after.
Four out of twelve is the lowest the table has seen, and the result has nothing to do with it. Iraola is calm and precise and he might well be right about the first yellow. He thanks the crowd and says the players gave everything, so Safety is the level logged. Then the whole of a 3-0 defeat is handed to the referee. In the entire press conference he doesn’t mention one thing Liverpool did wrong that they could fix. Given everything is praise for trying, and trying is all the players leave with. Towards gets nothing, because the only thing he says about what’s coming is that it’ll be hard. Path gets nothing either.
Breakdown: Towards 0 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 1 · Identity 1 · Path 0 · Good Loser* 1 · 4/12
Source: Liverpool FC.
Matchweek 7
Brentford 1 – 2 Liverpool
Saturday 17 October 2026, 3pm, Gtech Community Stadium.
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool
8/12. Identity level: Capability.
“Definitely we got a good battle today. They are very important three points for us because I think it’s very [difficult] to win here.”
“I think Brentford are a very good team, especially at home, and to finish with three points here is very valuable.”
“I think we played really well the minute until we scored 2-1 against 10 players. We were being patient, we were finding good positions and we were controlling the game really well.”
“I’m probably more disappointed after we score because you score for 2-1 and then you feel like you have something to lose. We were playing freely, we were finding good spots, we were sending a lot of players forward, and then you score 2-1.”
“A lot of the players see the chance to score, but we missed clear counters to finish the game.”
Iraola wins at a hard ground and is honest about the dip. You feel like you have something to lose is a sharp bit of self-diagnosis, and it’s Away From language inside his own team, named out loud. Patient, finding good positions, controlling the game, playing freely: those are real SQAs. He credits Brentford properly and doesn’t get carried away with three points. Adversity stays at 1 because the problem he names sits in the players’ heads and he never says it passes. Identity and Path are 1 each. Finish the counters is a wish rather than a plan.
Source: Sky Sports.
Matchweek 8
Liverpool 2 – 0 Brighton and Hove Albion
Sunday 25 October 2026, 2.00pm, Anfield.
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool
Score: 11/12. Identity level: Belonging and Capability.
Yes, obviously, for us it was a needed win at home, we wanted to have a good performance and finally finished with the clean sheet. I think in front we had today a very good team and they were coming in an incredible run of games, full of confidence. and it was key for me. Start strong, no? Take a little bit of that confidence, and obviously, I think in transitions in the first half, we were being aggressive in the duels, winning a lot of goals very high, and we could score both goals, and second half has been a little bit different. We’ve had to defend a little bit more, but overall, we’ve done our job.
yes i think we’ve been talking a lot not these days because we’ve started losing last games and then we’ve had to come back and everything becomes a lot more difficult so especially against a team that is with confidence you need to start strong you need to score the first goal you need to put them under pressure no and i think And today we’ve done it and I’m happy for it, yes.
Yes, I don’t really care who has scored the goals, but honestly, if he has the chances, normally he’s showing that he will give us the goals. I think it’s good also for flow. at another goal and I think a lot of positives from the game today, yes.
Yes, especially against Brighton, it is a team that is very dangerous offensively, we know them very well. I think overall, especially second half, we’ve had to defend some crosses, some set plays, I think overall we’ve been really solid and happy because it’s a clean sheet that reinforces a little bit, you know, what we are doing defensively.
He twisted his ankle, it doesn’t look very bad, but it’s true that the problem is we are playing every three days, so I don’t know if it’s going to happen. be ready for the next one. That didn’t look like a big thing, but now it’s too early to say.
He absolutely deserves the praise. I think he has been phenomenal today. He has shown his spirit defensively, has won all the duels. Even in the first goal, he wins a couple of doubles, he arrives, he gives the assist, not going to be the assist, but the ball that after gives us the chance to shoot with flow, and I’m very happy for him.
Iraola names the mechanism and then names the men. Brighton came in on an incredible run, full of confidence, so the way to handle them was to start strong, score first and put them under pressure, and that is a plan the players can run again. Araujo gets the longest answer of the interview, his spirit defensively, winning all his duels, the ball that led to the first goal. On Isak he says he does not really care who scores. That tells the group what counts here.
Calling it a needed win is what costs him. It is about relief rather than belief in his players. Telling them he was always confident the wins would come, given the quality they have, would have done far more for them.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Liverpool 0 – 1 Arsenal
Sunday 1 November 2026, 4.30pm, Anfield, Liverpool.
Andoni Iraola, Liverpool
Score: 8/12. Identity level: Esteem.
Andoni, a frustrating day, I’m sure.
Yes, because we wanted another result definitely today, no? I think we are to blame, especially from the beginning of the game. I think the first 15 minutes, I haven’t liked them, but I’ve loved the reaction after. I think after we conceded the goal, probably you have nothing to protect and you play more freely, we played more brave and I think we’ve turned the game in the first half, we finished very well in the first half. We’ve tried it in the second half, but we haven’t been able to score the equaliser.
At half-time, were you astonished that you hadn’t scored?
Yes, because we had good chances, no? I think the crossbar of law, I think good situations where we were not able to finish, a lot of set-pieces, I think we’ve put them under pressure. They are a good team, obviously defensively, but I think we should have done better, and definitely we deserved at least a goal, yes.
A lot of penalty shouts were waved away, can I ask you in particular about one pull on Alexander Isak’s shirt which didn’t get seen?
Yeah, no, it got seen, it wasn’t called, it got seen, everyone saw the shirt, no, because there is a whole clear, no, they grab the shirt, Alex, yes, the ball goes just in front of him, he’s going to head in front of the goal, he cannot because they grab the shirt. I don’t really understand why they don’t call it, probably because he doesn’t go to the floor, because after, I think there is another shout of the penalty of Cody Gakpo that is more like holding during more time, but I think rightly they say, no, I don’t think Cody will arrive to that ball, so I think that’s not a pen because he’s not arriving, but Alex, I think he’s going to just head the ball in front of the keeper, no? And there is only one reason why he hasn’t, they grab the shirt, we can see the shirt and nowadays with all the replays with, I really don’t understand why it’s not called.
But what’s the answer there, because we don’t want players to be going to the floor, but if they have to, to get the decision?
The answer is that you have to dive, if you don’t dive, they are not going to call it, at least you buy the chance to give them a decision. I think everyone understands, if you understand the game, Alex, why does he grab him, because he’s going to score, he’s going to finish with a head, so you don’t need a lot just to grab him, avoid the header, but it hasn’t been called, and that’s it.
So as you’ve mentioned, a lot of positives from the performance, can you separate the result from the performance today?
Yeah, definitely, I think, I love the reaction, honestly, of my players, after going 1-0 down, I think we mess up a goal kick, we concede a goal, and then after we finished very well the first half, very, very well the first half, and we kept pushing and putting pressure until the end, I’ve loved a lot of moments of the game where we were recovering the ball and creating this momentum, but it hasn’t arrived the 1-1.
It was a big call to put Trey Nyoni in for his first start in the Premier League, what did he give you today?
I think he played, honestly, he played really well, I think he played really well, we had also after the situation with Ryan, he wasn’t, he had some issues in the heal, let’s see if we can count with him for the next game, but we didn’t want also to risk Ryan, but Trey has played a really good game.
There was a lot of talk before the game saying if Liverpool won, you’d be right in the title race, is that anything that you entertain now that the gap is nine points?
We have to keep going, keep getting results, I think it’s very early still in the season, obviously Arsenal in the best of the situations, but still it’s just started November today, so a lot of games to play and we have to keep working and keep going.
Iraola takes the bad part himself. Liverpool are to blame, he didn’t like the first fifteen minutes, and they messed up a goal kick for the goal. Then he is warm about everything after it. He loved the reaction, they played braver with nothing to protect, they finished the first half very well and kept pushing to the end. Those are decent SQAs, and nine points behind Arsenal he puts the table in proportion, because it is only the start of November.
Then a good part of the interview goes on the shirt pull that wasn’t given, and the remedy he lands on is that you have to dive. It is the most concrete instruction he gives all afternoon, and it aims his forward at the official rather than at anything he can practise, so it doesn’t earn him the mark for Path. Beyond keep going and keep working there is no aim for the group.
Source: BBC Sport.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.