AFC Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola Recognized as PL Manager of the Month
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Synopsis
On February 7, AFC Bournemouth's head coach Andoni Iraola was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month for January, leading the team to three victories and a draw, marking a historic month for the club.
Key Takeaways
- Andoni Iraola named Premier League Manager of the Month.
- AFC Bournemouth achieved three wins and a draw in January.
- Justin Kluivert won Player of the Month award.
- The Cherries extended their unbeaten run to ten games.
- Iraola aims for a record-breaking season.
Bournemouth, Feb 7 (NationPress) AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has been honored as the Premier League Manager of the Month for January. Under Iraola's guidance, the Cherries experienced one of the most remarkable months in their history, achieving three victories and one draw in the league.
This recognition follows closely behind Justin Kluivert being named Premier League Player of the Month for January, with Dean Huijsen also receiving a nomination.
Iraola was among those shortlisted, competing against Mikel Arteta from Arsenal, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, and former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, now leading Newcastle United.
The month commenced with a sensational goal from David Brooks, nominated for Goal of the Month for January, securing a 1-0 victory over Everton. Kluivert's penalty and a goal by Antoine Semenyo gave the Cherries a 2-1 lead against Chelsea, but Reece James's late free-kick thwarted their hopes for maximum points at Stamford Bridge.
The highlight came when Kluivert's stunning hat-trick led the Cherries to a decisive 4-1 triumph against a strong Newcastle United at St James' Park.
This impressive performance on Tyneside allowed the Cherries to stretch their club-record unbeaten run in the Premier League to ten matches, while also bringing an end to Newcastle’s nine-game winning streak.
Kluivert's second hat-trick in nine games – with his third goal also nominated for Goal of the Month – put the team ahead 3-1, before Milos Kerkez capped off the scoring, earning Iraola the Performance of the Week Award.
A third hat-trick in 11 games, highlighted by Dango Ouattara's first Premier League treble, along with goals from Kluivert – who received a second Goal of the Month nomination – and Semenyo, culminated the month with a stunning 5-0 win against Nottingham Forest, who entered Vitality Stadium in third place.
The visitors could not respond as Iraola's squad attacked relentlessly, marking their seventh victory in an 11-match unbeaten streak, pushing them to the 40-point mark in the league standings.
While FA Cup matches are excluded from these awards, Iraola also led the team to a convincing 5-1 win over West Brom in January, setting up a fourth-round trip to Everton. This is Iraola's second monthly accolade, having previously won it in March 2024, which contributed to his nomination for the Premier League Manager of the Season in 2023/24, ultimately awarded to Manchester City’s title-winning manager Guardiola.
Iraola guided the Cherries to 48 points in his debut season, marking their highest total in the Premier League, and needs nine points from the remaining 14 matches to surpass that record, while potentially achieving their best finish, previously ninth in 2016/17.
