Alex Scott says Liverpool should expect a return to Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football under Andoni Iraola.
The Bournemouth midfielder, here in Florida with England as a training player this week, is well placed to offer insight into the incoming Reds boss.
Iraola signed Scott for £25million from Bristol City in 2023 and their final season together ended with Bournemouth qualifying for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.
‘He is a great manager,’ said Scott. ‘You see what we have done as a club and how we have progressed over the three seasons he was with us. The way we press out of possession is very aggressive, similar to the early Klopp teams at Liverpool, that fierce aggressiveness and pressing with the wingers.
‘Liverpool fans should definitely be so excited. It is a bigger club, but there is no reason why he can’t go in there and be a top manager and take them back to the level they were at.’
Scott’s own development will likely see him rewarded with his England debut against New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday. He won the Under-21 European Championship last summer.
Alex Scott, pictured in England training in Florida, says Liverpool can expect to return to their old attacking style under Andoni Iraola
‘(Iraola) has done a lot for me personally,’ said Scott. ‘I have improved loads this season, out of possession and in possession. I feel like I have had his trust. Defensively, maybe in my first two seasons, I wasn’t at the level to be playing in the Premier League, and that is something I had to learn.
‘But he put his trust in me from the first game of the season and I played 34 full matches, injury free too. The manager has been amazing for me, working with me going forward, defensively, being more aggressive, and that is the reason I played most games this season.’
Scott was a surprise omission from Tuchel’s expanded squad in March, given his excellent club form, and he was again unlucky to miss out on World Cup selection.
However, the head coach wanted the 22-year-old with the group as one of four young players involved during this preparation week in Florida. He could yet, should injury strike, win elevation to the senior squad.
Scott revealed: ’When the manager called, he said you won’t be with us, but then straight away said that he really wants me to come to the prep-camp and did I need time to think about it, because he understands how disappointing it can be. But I said yes straight away, it took me two seconds.
‘(Missing out in March) was disappointing, but it was also fuel to go again, keep improving and playing well.
‘The talent we have in this country is incredible, just being part of that and around those conversations is great for me. It was definitely about keeping my head down and hopefully I can be in the manager’s plans in the future.’
