A Calculated Move: Why Marco Rose is the Ideal Successor to Andoni Iraola

During an interview with Spanish sports outlet Relevo, Andoni Iraola was asked about his favorite teams to watch. His response now seems particularly relevant. "Marco Rose's Gladbach was one of my favorite teams," Iraola stated. "I really enjoy German football because, as a spectator, I love the constant action. It's not a matter of attacking for two minutes and then switching roles. Each player must take on multiple roles since every player on the pitch is both attacking and defending." Iraola appreciates this style of football, where players are versatile and the game is both complete and tactical. This is why he admired Rose's Gladbach, which was well-organized and effective. More than three years have passed, and the situation has come full circle. Rose, who may have unintentionally inspired Bournemouth, will now take over the team following Iraola's decision to leave this summer. Is a Premier League team making a sensible appointment? Perhaps it's easier to make a change from a position of strength. Bournemouth continues to progress, and the news of Rose's impending arrival comes at a time when they are on their longest unbeaten run in the Premier League. They may even qualify for Europe. However, Tiago Pinto and the other decision-makers at Bournemouth deserve credit for a wise move. It's not just that Iraola admires Rose; it's why he admires him that's crucial. Rose has a track record of delivering the brand of vertical football that Iraola enjoys. This predates his time at Borussia Monchengladbach, as he was schooled as a player under Jurgen Klopp at Mainz and as a coach within the Red Bull system. It was Klopp who told Rose in 2004, when Mainz won promotion to the top division, that Rose would become a coach. Rose worked as an assistant at Mainz before progressing from coaching Red Bull Salzburg's under-16s to managing the first team. The Salzburg side was extremely strong, winning two titles, going unbeaten at home, and achieving impressive European runs. His work in Austria earned him the opportunity to manage Gladbach, where he qualified for the Champions League. A move to Borussia Dortmund, which paid a significant sum to release him from his contract, ended after one season despite finishing second in the Bundesliga. Rose's return to Red Bull, at RB Leipzig, brought out the best in him. As Rose once said, "We stand for a certain way of playing at RB," and he became the club's longest-serving head coach in the top division, building on principles established by Ralf Rangnick. This style of play would be recognizable to Bournemouth fans. According to Leipzig's sporting director Marcel Schafer, Rose's teams play with high intensity, both with and without the ball. Indeed, during his time at Leipzig, only Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid scored more goals from fast breaks than Rose's team. Of course, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Rose has been out of work for a year because his old friend Klopp made the difficult decision to sack him after a challenging final season at Leipzig. There was a feeling that the club had moved away from its principles. "If you are one of the top teams, you need to find solutions with the ball," Schafer explained. "But we cannot change the whole philosophy. It is not authentic." Bournemouth will want the real Rose. His personable style should help him adapt. Rangnick once described Rose as a Menschenfanger, or a people catcher, a phrase often used to describe Klopp. He has a way of drawing people towards him and getting them on his side. Former Leipzig forward Lois Openda called Rose a coach who "is really intelligent and knows where to put the players." This appointment checks many boxes, especially if Bournemouth qualifies for Europe. Rose has experience managing two games a week, which can be challenging for teams that want to play with intensity. He qualified for the Champions League with three different Bundesliga clubs. Bournemouth has made it this far with smart recruitment, and even the departure of the coach doesn't have to be the end of the journey. Just ask Iraola himself.