Is Rose a good style fit?published at 19:15 BST 17 April
19:15 BST 17 April
Constantin Eckner German Football Writer
Image source, Getty Images
Marco Rose comes from the Red Bull school of football.
He started as a coach at his local club, Loch Leipzig. He went through the academy at RB Salzburg and was very successful, winning the youth league with them and later becoming the senior team manager. Then he moved to the Bundesliga and coached Borussia Dortmund for a year and RB Leipzig most recently.
He wants a new challenge because he's done so much in the Bundesliga. Going to the Premier League and doing something like Oliver Glasner in recent years and proving himself, he can further develop as a personality and a coach.
If you look up some of the basic stats of this season, Bournemouth have the most interceptions in the Premier League. They have a lot of fouls but that comes with the high press.
Red Bull wanted to introduce that style, and he helped develop that as an academy coach. Although he hasn't been that successful in his latter stages at RB Leipzig, joining a new league and culture might not be a bad thing for him.
Newcastle v Bournemouth: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:03 BST 17 April
19:03 BST 17 April
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe welcomes his old side Bournemouth on Saturday (15:00 BST), with the two clubs in contrasting form.
Magpies struggle to hold on to a lead
Newcastle have lost seven of their last 10 Premier League matches and any hope that a three-week break might lift them out of their recent slump was quashed by their defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend.
It was their third loss in a row in all competitions – a flat performance and another game in which they threw away a lead.
Newcastle have dropped 25 points from winning positions in this Premier League campaign – five more than any other side. It's a statistic that Howe says "has blighted our season".
They have conceded 30 goals after scoring first in Premier League games in 2025-26, a division-high, and have had just three clean sheets in their 16 Premier League matches at St James' Park this season.
That statistic might not improve this weekend as Newcastle have conceded in all seven of their top-flight home games against Bournemouth, which is the most times they've faced a side without a clean sheet at St James' Park in the Premier League.
Cherries aim to see off Iraola in style
It may be a long way from the south coast to Tyneside but it's a journey Bournemouth seem to enjoy.
They have lost on just two of their eight Premier League visits to St James' Park and have averaged three goals a game in their past three matches in all competitions there.
One of those was their FA Cup penalty shootout defeat on 10 January. That was a tough pill to swallow, but since then, the Cherries haven't lost – in fact they are unbeaten in their past 12 Premier League matches, their longest undefeated run in the competition.
Bournemouth conceded three goals at Newcastle in January but their defence, which was decimated in last summer's transfer window, has been pretty tight so far in 2026, conceding just three goals in their last six away games.
It has all helped to contribute to their long unbeaten streak - coincidentally, the last side other than Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City to have a longer such run without losing were Newcastle, who went 17 unbeaten in 2022-23.
The Cherries are currently 11th, but with things tightly packed in the Premier League mid-table, they have every chance of exceeding their previous best finish of ninth. That would be a fitting tribute to head coach Andoni Iraola, who announced this week that he will leave the club in the summer.
Sutton's predictions: Newcastle v Bournemouthpublished at 18:28 BST 17 April
18:28 BST 17 April
Newcastle are in a slump and their manager Eddie Howe looks tired.
He could definitely do with a win, which is why losing late on against Sunderland and then Crystal Palace has been so damaging. They have now dropped 25 points from winning positions this season, five more than any other Premier League club.
This is the ninth time Howe has faced Bournemouth as Newcastle boss in the Premier League, but he is yet to beat his old club. Saturday would be a very good time for him to change that.
Bournemouth already know they will have a new manager next season, with Andoni Iraola set to leave at the end of this campaign. That news is a hammer blow for them.
The Cherries have been playing well and got a great win against Arsenal last weekend, but I am still going with Newcastle to beat them despite their recent poor results.
That's right, I am backing Eddie - the law of averages means he has to get a result against Bournemouth some day.
'I have no clue' - Iraola on his future and Cherries' efforts to keep himpublished at 16:32 BST 17 April
16:32 BST 17 April
Image source, Getty Images
Andoni Iraola says Bournemouth "tried to do everything" to keep him and insists he has "no clue" where or if he will be coaching next season.
The 43-year-old Spaniard announced he will leave the Cherries at the end of the season this week and his name is linked with a host of clubs, including Athletic Bilbao, where Ernesto Valverde will step down at the end of the campaign.
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent's Jordan Clark, Iraola explained he did not want to negotiate a new deal when offered: "The club, they tried to do everything. In December they had a formal offer. I tried to talk about my feelings. I know they have been working on the future. It is not something that has happened by surprise.
"The seasons I have been here I have been so satisfied, I don't want almost to risk it. I feel full of energy, it's not I am exhausted, I am more motivated to finish this season. But sometimes you have to choose well the moment to leave places."
Iraola said he was relieved people now knew of his exit, adding he was most "nervous" in telling his players, though he claims he did not get overly emotional with them.
"I am quite cold," he explained. "But it's true that with some members of the staff - you've been here three years - it has been very difficult as there is mutual appreciation. Some people will not understand the decision but we still have two months to be together, enjoy it and create memories."
The former Athletic Bilbao player's exit brings further uncertainty over whether his assistant Tommy Elphick and coach Shaun Cooper will follow him.
"They have been really good with me but are under contract with the club," he added. "They are the ones who have to decide their future. I have been very lucky to work with them and now it's their moment to decide."
And his own future is up in the air, with Iraola adding: "I have no clue. I don't know if I am going to coach next season. I have no rush to know it. We have taken the decision and the decision has not been affected by any other club."
Iraola on decision to leave, his next club and why Newcastle are 'dangerous'published at 11:48 BST 17 April
11:48 BST 17 April
Huzaifah Khan BBC Sport journalist
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Newcastle United at St James' Park (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Iraola confirmed Justin Kluivert and Lewis Cook are "still out" but the rest of the squad are available.
When telling the squad he was leaving this summer, the Bournemouth boss said that was the most "difficult" part and he felt "emotional".
On his decision to leave the club, the Iraola said it took a lot of time to come to this decision and he believes it's the "right time" for him and the club to part ways.
He added: "At the end, this is football. I have had other decisions that were more important in terms of my life, but it is true that this is a decision that has cost me a lot and I have had moments thinking one thing and at other moments thinking the other thing. But there is a moment, you know?"
On why he is leaving when the club are in a good position with young players who are fighting for Europe: "I think the club is in a great place. I have things in this club that I will not find anywhere else. I come every day to work here with a smile, and this is very valuable for me, but as managers, you learn."
Asked whether he knows where he is moving to next, Iraola said his choice was not due to a decision being made on where he will manage next season and added that's the "truth", even if people don't believe him.
He continued: "I don't have any rush to want to know it. I have taken a big decision for me, now I want to focus on what we have in this moment. These next six games are massive for us. There is going to be time to think [later] if we are going to have to think on something else."
With his impressive record away at Newcastle, Iraola said they have been "exciting games", and the fact Eddie Howe's side are coming into this one off the back of back-to-back losses makes them "more dangerous".
Bournemouth 'lucky' to have teenage goal machine Kroupipublished at 08:32 BST 17 April
08:32 BST 17 April
Image source, Getty Images
Former Bournemouth midfielder Joe Partington heaped praise on Eli Junior Kroupi after his goal against Arsenal on Saturday and described the 19-year-old as one of "the world's best teenage goalscorers".
Kroupi's opener in the 2-1 win made him the first teenager to score 10 goals in his maiden Premier League season since Robbie Keane for Coventry in 1999-2000.
Speaking on the Cherries Unpicked podcast, Partington said: "He knows where the goal is. He's got an eye for it. He sniffs out chances. He's in the right place at the right time and he has the technique and conviction to take those chances.
"He seems to prop up in these positions where he can score all types of goals. That one [against Arsenal] was a tap-in because of his movement, but you also give him a yard outside the box and he can nestle one in the top corner.
"Bournemouth are lucky to have him. The recruitment team have done a really good job of finding these young players that are ready for Premier League football. Not all 19-year-olds can come into the team and play and certainly contribute as he has done.
"[It's a] real huge benefit for the football club, I know that we've lost players over the last few years and may continue to do so in the future. That's just the nature of the beast, I suppose, but at the moment, in Junior Kroupi, we've got one of Europe's, which by extension is probably the world's, best teenage goalscorers."
'Howe is exactly who we need' - fans on next managerpublished at 15:42 BST 16 April
15:42 BST 16 April
Image source, Getty Images
As news of Andoni Iraola's exit sinks in, we asked who you would want to replace him.
Here are some of your replies:
Nic: Eddie Howe is exactly who we need - he has the personal connection with Bournemouth, as well as the ability to maintain what Iraola started. It's looking like his time at Newcastle may be coming to an end, so it would be a great move!
Clive: I think someone with high-press mentality is a must. The side have adapted to the style, so changing the way of playing would be disastrous. So accordingly Marco Rose, Inigo Perez or if I could dream Rui Borges. The second important thing is to retain Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, we pride ourselves on being different and retaining the Bournemouth narrative is imperative."
Keith: I would love to see Craig Bellamy at Bournemouth. He has so much knowledge and is a highly skilled coach having worked with so many great managers.
Katie: Out of all the links so far Marco Rose looks the most interesting and of a similar play style for the team!
Dennis: Perez for continuity of style or Rose on experience.
Marty: I would love to get Perez. He learned under Iraola and plays the same type of game. Our players are suited to that style of play so it should be a relatively seamless transition.
Who do you want next?published at 13:57 BST 16 April
13:57 BST 16 April
We are nearly two days on from Andoni Iraola's summer exit being confirmed.
So it seems like a good time to ask who you'd like through the door next at Bournemouth. Why do you want them? And what does the change need to look like?
Perez? McKenna? Lampard? - 'I back the board to get the right man in'published at 09:51 BST 16 April
09:51 BST 16 April
Image source, Getty Images
Former Bournemouth defender Steve Cook says he backs the club's hierarchy to make "the right decision" when selecting Andoni Iraola's successor.
After three historic seasons on the south coast, Iraola will depart at the end of the campaign and the Cherries will have to find a replacement for one of the most highly-rated coaches in Europe.
"Football clubs now prepare for this," Cook told a special BBC Radio Solent programme reaction to the news.
"They have a style of play and sign the players for that.
"Bournemouth will have a plan. Iraola's former assistant at Rayo Vallecano Inigo Perez would fit perfectly because there is a very similar philosophy at that club and they are similar in the way they play.
"You read things on social media with the likes of Frank Lampard and Kieran McKenna being linked but they are both in for promotions themselves right now.
"The hierarchy at the club will know. They will have planned for the worst and they still have a few weeks and months to finalise the plan.
"I back them to make the right decision. Bournemouth is a very attractive job, let's be honest. It's a Premier League club, consistently pushing in the right direction.
"Things are exciting with the training ground and the plans. I think it's an amazing job for anyone and I back the board to get the right man in."
Will Bournemouth hold on to Rayan and Kroupi? published at 08:48 BST 16 April
08:48 BST 16 April
Nizaar Kinsella Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Some of you have been using our Ask Me Anything about Bournemouth form to query the likelihood of the Cherries holding onto players like Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi this summer.
Bournemouth will expect to lose them someday if their form continues and they are powerless to stop it if certain bids come in.
However, especially in Rayan's case, the fee will be so large that he would be unlikely to leave.
There is a feeling that the recently-capped Brazil international will complete at least one season before encouraging any big clubs to trigger his release clause of 100m euros.
Unfortunately, the better players that join Bournemouth, the harder it is to keep them for many seasons.
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.
We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.
'Future generations may look back on Iraola's reign as golden age'published at 08:48 BST 16 April
08:48 BST 16 April
Mark Mitchener BBC Sport Senior Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
A phrase often attributed to children's author Dr Seuss, though its exact origin is unclear - but a phrase whose sentiment was likely shared among Bournemouth's followers on Tuesday when the news they had feared was confirmed.
Head coach Andoni Iraola will be departing in the summer.
Like any club, the Cherries have lost managers before in unwanted circumstances. John Bond's departure for Norwich in 1973 left a bitter taste in the mouth for years after he proceeded to sign nearly half the Bournemouth team to join him at Carrow Road.
A decade earlier, player-manager Bill McGarry's decision to leave for Watford left the Cherries not only needing a new manager, but having to replace their best player.
In later years, Harry Redknapp and Eddie Howe had both seemingly been indelibly linked with the Dean Court club after nearly a decade in charge apiece, but both went on to managerial success elsewhere.
And so it is likely to be with Iraola, whether back at Athletic Club where he reached legendary status as a player and remains a supporter, or whether one of England or Europe's elite come calling.
And as such, the Bournemouth faithful can look back at three years under the Spaniard which have contained their joint-highest league finish, their highest top-flight points tally and some of the most memorable games in their history.
Any such shortlist would have to include the back-to-back 3-0 wins at Old Trafford plus the epic 4-4 draw there earlier this season, three wins in their past four games with Arsenal culminating in Saturday's success which blew the title race open, and finally slaying the Manchester City dragon in the clubs' 22nd league and cup meeting.
Liverpool and Tottenham have been beaten by Iraola's Cherries, who have also pulled off some spectacular late comebacks, such as coming from 3-0 down at half-time to beat Luton 4-3 in 2024, and last season's late heist at Goodison Park where Everton had led 2-0 going into the 87th minute, only for Iraola's men to burgle a 3-2 win.
In a purple patch in January 2025, an injury-ravaged Cherries side pummelled in-form Newcastle 4-1 in what must rank as one of the best away performances in the club's history, before turning on the style at home a week later to thrash Nottingham Forest 5-0.
This season, the Cherries are currently riding the wave of a record 12-game unbeaten top-flight run as Iraola's magic touch has defied prophecies of doom made after multiple sales of key players in the past two transfer windows.
Nothing lasts forever, and Iraola's replacement will have the chance to forge a new history of their own. But they will have big shoes to fill, after a three-year spell which future generations may look back on as a golden age.
Gossip: Cherries in advanced talks with Rosepublished at 06:35 BST 16 April
06:35 BST 16 April
Bournemouth are in advanced talks to hire former Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose as their new head coach, with the 49-year-old German currently without a club. Telegraph - subscription required, external
Liverpool are leading the race for Cherries defender Marcos Senesi, who is out of contract this summer. (i paper, external)
🎧 BBC Radio Solent special on Iraola's exitpublished at 16:32 BST 15 April
16:32 BST 15 April
Image source, PA Media
If you missed BBC Radio Solent's special hour-long programme on Tuesday reacting to the news that Andoni Iraola will leave his position as Bournemouth boss at the end of the season, you can listen back to it in full on BBC Sounds or by clicking the play button below.
Among the contributors was former Cherries defender Steve Cook, as well as ex-world champion boxer and Bournemouth fan Chris Billam-Smith.
Iraola 'definitely up there' among best Bournemouth bosses - Cookpublished at 08:31 BST 15 April
08:31 BST 15 April
Former Bournemouth defender Steve Cook says Andoni Iraola should be considered as one of the club's greatest ever managers.
He told BBC Radio Solent: "He has really propelled them up the table and helped them make a lot of money with player sales. He is definitely up there [as] one of the greatest.
"He has done an incredible job. I think he's a manager that probably doesn't stay around too long and I think three years is probably his spell. He obviously wants to challenge himself in another way and I think he probably deserves that.
"He has done an outstanding job at Bournemouth and in his eyes, maybe he thinks he has taken the club as far as he thinks he can get them."
Click below to hear the interview in full or listen on BBC Sounds - where you can also find an special hour-long programme reacting to the news of Iraola's summer exit.
The Cherries are considering Rayo Vallecano boss Inigo Perez, Coventry City manager Frank Lampard and Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna as they plan for life after Andoni Iraola. (i Sport, external)
Unattached German manager Marco Rose, whose most recent job was at RB Leipzig, is thought to be the leading contender to replace the outgoing Bournemouth boss. (Guardian, external)
Man City v Arsenal: Who do you want to win?published at 07:18 BST 15 April
07:18 BST 15 April
Image source, Getty Images
Two Premier League heavyweights are set to face each other this weekend at Etihad Stadium, as Manchester City host Arsenal.
Both teams go into the fixture with different targets. For Mikel Arteta's side, it is about extending their lead at the top of the table. For Pep Guardiola's side, it is about closing the gap and keeping themselves in the title race.
It is a fixture being labelled a title decider by some, so we want to know who you want to win this Sunday's match.
Will you be cheering on the Citizens or getting behind the Gunners?
Iraola's time in charge must be 'foundation for sustained progress'published at 18:29 BST 14 April
18:29 BST 14 April
Tom Jordan Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The news all Bournemouth fans feared has been announced and Andoni Iraola will indeed be leaving the club at the end of the season.
While it remains to be seen what his next destination will be, the Bournemouth hierarchy will undoubtedly be working to find his replacement as soon as possible.
The immediate mood among Cherries fans is that of being gutted. Iraola's three seasons at Vitality Stadium have been an unqualified success, transforming the Cherries from a side fighting for survival into a consistent, high-pressing Premier League side capable of punching above their weight.
His departure will undoubtedly spark concern for the Cherries' supporters, but it also offers a moment to reflect on just how impactful his tenure has been on the south coast.
When Iraola arrived from Rayo Vallecano, there was more intrigue than expectation. Could his clear identity and intense pressing style could translate to the Premier League? Those doubts were quickly put to bed as he elevated Bournemouth into one of the most aggressive and tactically coherent sides outside the traditional elite. Plenty of impactful results and performances soon demonstrated that Iraola's Bournemouth was no longer a team merely aiming to survive, but to thrive.
Replacing a manager of Iraola's calibre will be no easy task, but it will be one which the club's hierarchy would have been methodically planning. This is both an ending and a beginning for the club, with Iraola leaving behind not just league-high finishes and improved results in general, but a cultural shift in how the team plays and competes.
The challenge now is ensuring that his legacy is not a fleeting moment, but the foundation for sustained progress in the Premier League.
'He took our small club to cosmic heights'published at 16:06 BST 14 April
16:06 BST 14 April
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts on Bournemouth announcing that Andoni Iraola will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Here are some of your comments:
Charl: Andoni, thank you. I've been an avid supporter of Bournemouth since my first game in 1966 and this is, without exception, our finest period. You proved that playing the ball forward is the way to win against the top clubs. Now we must not go backwards off the pitch, we need a proven coach such as Steve Holland.
James: Sad day, he has done amazing things for us. Could do worse than Inigo Perez as his replacement to continue playing in the same style. Mind you, De Zerbi ought to be free in a few games' time.
Leon: Gutted! That's the only word that described how I felt on getting this news. The best up-and-coming manager in the country, maybe even Europe, and little old Bournemouth had him. So sad, I don't know who can replace him, but our recruitment team is great, so let's trust them and get behind the whole team.
Wing: Gutted, gutted, gutted! From the very first game when I could see what Andoni was doing and the team started to imprint themselves in a 0-0 home draw against Chelsea, to the incredible height of winning the second Premier League game in a row at the Emirates. Unbeaten runs and all, he took our small club to cosmic heights. I will never be thankful enough of Andoni! Go and do it at a huge football club now - you deserve it, gaffer!
Malcolm: Absolutely gutted to be honest. I would have liked him to sign another two-year deal but I guess he has family to think of and I believe he will head back to Spain. A big, big thank you, Andoni for taking us to the levels achieved over the time you were here. We have seen some awesome games and certainly a lot of chaotic football. A sad day for the club but as our motto says, 'Together anything is possible'.
Dom: Gutted that Iraola is leaving the club. Would love us to appoint Filipe Luis. He was brilliant at Flamengo and I think he would be perfect for us.
Jason H: He's been a great manager for Bournemouth - it's been an exhilarating couple of years. Such pragmatic and positive football. I wish him all the best. I just hope he doesn't go to Palace!
Peter: Straight swap then - Iraola to Newcastle and Howe (back) to Bournemouth?
Iraola tops Cherries' Premier League listpublished at 16:04 BST 14 April
16:04 BST 14 April
Prudent Nsengiyumva BBC Sport journalist
Andoni Iraola has delivered Bournemouth's strongest managerial return in the Premier League.
His points-per-game ratio and win percentage both rank highest among Cherries managers in the top flight, above what Eddie Howe managed during his longer tenure and the shorter spells of Scott Parker and Gary O'Neil.
His win percentage of 35.2% exceeds all previous Bournemouth top-flight spells.
The improvement is modest but meaningful in context. Some previous Bournemouth sides were largely built to survive in the Premier League, often spending extended periods defending deep and without the ball.
Under the Spanish coach, results have ticked up alongside a clear stylistic shift, with Bournemouth playing more proactively and assertively than at any previous point in their Premier League history.
'The right moment to step away'published at 15:45 BST 14 April
15:45 BST 14 April
Andoni Iraola says he will always have "fantastic memories" of his three seasons at Bournemouth but the end of the season is the "right moment to step away" from his role in charge of the Cherries.
"It has been an honour to manage AFC Bournemouth and I am proud of what we have achieved together," said Iraola in a statement on the club website, external confirming his summer exit.
"I'm thankful to the players and staff that I've worked with, as well as Bill [Foley, chairman], who have all made my time here so special.
"As for the fans, you have continued to show your fantastic support to myself and the team, and for that I will always be grateful.
"I feel this is the right moment for me to step away, but I will always carry fantastic memories of this club."
Foley added: "Andoni has been instrumental in shaping the direction of this football club over the past three seasons.
"He brought intensity, innovation and a clear philosophy that elevated AFC Bournemouth both on and off the pitch.
"We are incredibly thankful for his leadership and will always have great memories of our time working together, as well as the things we accomplished."
Image source, Getty Images
