Andoni Iraola has outlined his central ambition at Liverpool: to mould a side that opponents find extremely difficult to break down. Speaking to reporters in Chicago ahead of the club's pre-season tour of the United States, the new Liverpool head coach made clear he understands what the supporters demand.

"For me now, it is about creating a very difficult team to beat," Iraola said. "The team that I envisage now — if we become that team — I think we are going to be successful. But you have to do the job. You have to create a team, improve the team, find the best positions for every player."

He was equally direct about what ultimately matters: "People just want to see the team play well and deliver good results. I know this is 90% of my job."

A rapid appointment

Iraola, 44, was confirmed as Liverpool head coach after Arne Slot was sacked at the end of May, following a season in which Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League and suffered a club-record 20 defeats across all competitions. The Basque coach revealed that his move to Merseyside came together with remarkable speed.

"It happened quite fast," he said. "It was the first or second week after the season ended. Liverpool contacted me, and it didn't take a lot [to say yes]."

Liverpool are currently in Chicago on a pre-season tour of the US. Their schedule includes a friendly against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday, followed by fixtures against Wrexham in New York and Leeds United in Chicago.

Similarities with Athletic Club

Iraola spent 12 seasons as a player at Athletic Club — his hometown club — and he drew parallels between the Bilbao institution and Liverpool. Athletic Club's famous Basque-only policy, which restricts recruitment to players born or developed in the Basque Country, demands a particular culture of commitment from every squad member.

"You have to maximise every player you have in the squad," Iraola said. "The only way that policy can be successful is if you give 100%. This creates a connection — and you see they win things. They have never been relegated."

"I see a lot of things similar [to Liverpool]. This sense of belonging, of being a little bit different. The connection with players from the academy. The atmosphere of Anfield. This is one of the biggest clubs in the world."

The Basque coaching phenomenon

Iraola is far from the only Basque coach thriving at the top of English football. Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, and Xabi Alonso were among four coaches from the Basque region who led teams into the Premier League's top 10 last season. Iraola attributes this success to a deeply embedded collective mentality.

"Spain has never had the best individual athletes," he said. "But in collective sports — football, basketball, handball, hockey — they are normally very good. We always put the team first."

He pointed to Rodri as a prime example: "He didn't score or make an assist, but at the end they won the World Cup and he won best player of the tournament. Team-first was always integrated in how we're raised."

Iraola also challenged the notion that Spanish football is defined solely by possession. "Even in the World Cup you could see them pressing very well, pressing high. Yes, they controlled the game with the ball — but it's the other part, without the ball, where everyone was doing their job. It's being pro-active without the ball."