Andoni Iraola has spoken openly about his coaching philosophy, Liverpool's transfer activity, and the challenge of opening the new Premier League season at Newcastle United — all in a sit-down interview with former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher as part of Sky Sports' new Boss with Jamie Carragher series.

Signings on the way

Iraola, 44, acknowledged that Liverpool supporters are anxious about a quiet transfer window, but offered reassurance that reinforcements are coming. "We'll definitely sign players, yes — I hope more than one," he said, adding that the picture that matters is the one the squad presents on September 1 when the market closes.

The Basque coach drew a distinction between his time at Bournemouth and his new role at Liverpool, noting that while the calibre of player targeted is different, the frustrations of negotiating deals remain familiar. "Some deals you cannot do in the beginning — you have to wait and be patient," he explained. "For me, the key is that once the market is finished, we are happy with the team that we have."

A pressing philosophy — with nuance

Iraola arrived at Anfield with a reputation built on high-energy, structured pressing, and he confirmed that identity will not be abandoned at Liverpool. When Carragher raised a quote from Pep Guardiola describing Iraola's Bournemouth side as "the future of football," the new Liverpool head coach was measured in his response. "The key is to believe in the things that you are doing," he said. "I think I'm here because the way we want to play is quite clear and you can identify it."

He did, however, accept that managing Liverpool demands a degree of adaptation. He acknowledged his side will need to control games more than Bournemouth ever had to — but said he would rather err on the side of aggression early on. "I prefer to make mistakes going more towards the other side than towards more control situations, because I know that it's easier to fix," he said.

On his hybrid pressing approach — blending man-to-man marking with zonal defending — Iraola described it as an ongoing conversation between manager and players. "There is a lot of interpretation in between," he said. "The more we play, the more the players understand what we are trying to do."

Patience required — but not too much

Iraola replaced Arne Slot at Anfield after Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title collapsed last season, with the club finishing fifth and losing 12 times in the top flight. He acknowledged that the transformation he is seeking takes time — pointing to three-year cycles at both Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth as evidence — but was clear-eyed about the demands at a club of Liverpool's stature.

"I know this is Liverpool and they are not going to wait 10 games until this gets going," he said. "I want to think we are going to be probably not 100 percent on Sunday, but good enough to get results."

Playing for the badge

In a more personal moment, Carragher drew a parallel between Iraola's playing days at Athletic Club and his own experience as a Liverpool player. Iraola admitted he never fully enjoyed representing his boyhood club because of the weight of expectation. "When you play for your club, you feel responsible for everything," he said. "You have to be perfect — you don't really play free, you overthink everything."

Newcastle United host Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League this Sunday, with kick-off at 4.30pm.