I am honoured to be Williams godfather and still devastated at him passing at such a young age.
If you're looking for a charity to give to this year, please give it a moment of your time.
Direct to the site here https://t.co/bvoB5K0ltZ
https://t.co/J10MuvDARA
Never nice to read something like this. Personally, I’m not fussed he’s gone to Madrid, or that he’s gone on a free. Never felt there was any malice in his decision. Needed a fresh start, as did some of the others, fair play. We’ll miss his personality and move on 👍🏼
I just love when managers walk their way to the top, there's a sense of achievement and deservedness.
After his playing career at Bilbao, and retiring in the US, Iraola took a bold step to go to AEK Larnaca in Cyprus to coach, he proved himself immediately by winning the cup.
He came back home in Spain to Mirandes, they were in the Segunda division and he dragged them to the semi finals of Copa Del Rey, while beating few La Liga teams on the way.
He moved to Rayo Vallecano, also in the Segunda and promoted them to La Liga. The crazy thing about him is that he has a known style of play and very adaptable too.
Rayo got to the final of the Conference league this season, its not a fluke because guess who their coach is? Yes, Iñigo Pérez, who was Iraola's assistant.
Bill Foley, Bournemouth's owner and the Bournemouth hierarchy like Richard Hughes wanted to play in a particular way, they had been monitoring Iraola for a long time, eventually, they found out that he was available, they grabbed him so quick, sacking Gary O'Neil who had just saved them from relegating.
Iraola took Bournemouth to Europe for the first time in their history, while losing top players like Semenyo, Huijsen, Zabarnyi, Solanke, and many more, on the way.
Liverpool players should be ready because he is a very demanding coach. Semenyo once said that immediately Iraola arrived at Bournemouth, they were training Monday to Sunday, something he'd never experienced before.
The mastermind behind this move is Richard Hughes, he was the Technical Director at Bournemouth, he sacked Gary O'Neil for Iraola. He is now the Sporting Director at Liverpool, he has just sacked Slot for Iraola again😅. He knows the Iraola train passes only once.
Congratulations to Andoni, I'm one of his biggest fans, and I think he suits Liverpool. Liverpool fans are going to see some serious high and aggressive hybrid pressing, they're also going to see some vertical and direct football which they're quite used to under Klopp and Slot's first season.
When they win the ball back, Iraola hates backward passes, he wants the ball played forward asap, in summary, quick transitions. I'm excited, are you?
Francesco Totti: "The best player I faced? Steven Gerrard. A Champion! An example! He would be captain of my World XI dream team."
Lionel Messi: "I think Gerrard is England's greatest ever player."
Arsene Wenger: "He was a fantastic player who had the qualities that every midfielder dreams of. He scored goals, he could pass. He had commitment and motivation."
Kaka: "For me, and I have always said this, Gerrard will be regarded as one of the greatest midfielders ever when he finishes his career. No doubt."
Thierry Henry: "I find it a disgrace that he didn't win European Footballer of the Year in 2005 after Istanbul. For me, he is one of the best ever. Whenever you play Liverpool you know you have to get him out of the game. If not, it's all over for you."
Patrick Vieira: "The best midfielder I would say is Steven Gerrard. I really rate him as a player and a man."
Wayne Rooney: "The best player I'd played for England with? I'd have to say Stevie. For me he is an incredible player, an incredible leader. He helped me a lot during my early days with England."
Paul Scholes: "Who was better - me or Gerrard? I can answer that. Gerrard. Gerrard's a great player. I wouldn't be able to do what he did at Liverpool."
Zinedine Zidane: "I have said in the past that at his peak he was the best in the world. I think it was the summer of 2004 I was having a conversation with Florentino (Perez) and I told him I wanted him to partner me in midfield for Madrid."
Andrea Pirlo: "That night in Istanbul, Liverpool's fight back was centralised on Steven Gerrard. He was their leader, their star player, their man who made it happen."
Pele in 2007: "For me, for the last five years Gerrard has been the best player in the world."
Manuel Pellegrini provided a superb summary of James Milner in a 2015 interview with @sidlowe:
“I’m Milner’s No1 fan. Find me a more complete English player. There are players who’re better technically, yes. Quicker players, yes. Players who head better, yes. But show me one who does all the things Milner does well. There isn’t one.
“It’s hard to leave him out. Respect, commitment and performance level: 10/10, fantastic. He’s polyfunctional: full-back – the only position he doesn’t like – attacking midfield, wide. I played him as a forward and the team averaged three goals a game. He gives everything.
“You leave him on the bench and he’s absolutely furious but watch him during the game: encouraging, shouting, supporting. And in the next training session he kills himself.
“Milner’s a phenomenon, a guy with big balls and a heart this big,” Pellegrini continues, opening out his hands. “Intelligent, great mentality, one of those players that when you leave him out you’re left with this feeling of injustice; it hurts because he should always play.”
I have retired from football. I have decided to travel the world to see if Ribena tastes the same everywhere. I asked Danny Welbeck if he wanted to retire and join me. He said No.
@LenaMistry Could be a nickname, or even a common nicety between two Dutch men.
There is no chance that Virg would so public in an insult to a fellow professional.