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AFC Bournemouth's Tyler Adams has spoken extremely highly of outgoing boss Andoni Iraola -Credit:Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images
Tyler Adams has been a key component of Andoni Iraola’s success at AFC Bournemouth, and now that the Spaniard has confirmed that he will leave the Premier League side at the end of his current contract this summer, the U.S. Men’s National Team star has given his unfiltered thoughts on the matter.
27-year-old Adams joined the Cherries just a month after Iraola was appointed head coach in 2023, signing a five-year deal after one season with Leeds United.
While hamstring and back injuries sidelined Adams for the vast majority of Iraola’s first season in charge, he truly hit his stride throughout the 2024-2025 season, becoming a staple at the heart of Bournemouth’s midfield as they went on to finish an impressive ninth.
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Adams has been limited to 19 Premier League appearances this season due to injuries -Credit:Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images
Injuries have once again limited Adams this season, having recently returned from a hamstring issue to make his 19th league appearance of the year in a 2-1 win against title favorites Arsenal.
A matter of days later, Iraola’s impending exit was confirmed, but while some may expect players to turn on him, this couldn’t be further from the truth for Adams.
“You don't replace greatness,” he said on the ‘Men In Blazers’ podcast about Iraola leaving.
Adams later added, “We've backed him since day one. We could see how incredibly talented he was in terms of tactics, communication. He has massive ambitions for himself, but what he's done for the club, it speaks volumes.”
He went on to highlight how Iraola has made every player better, explaining, “People look up to him, the competitiveness, the hunger, the ambition to achieve things, and it seeps into every single player that's in the squad.”
And Adams clearly counts himself amongs those improved by Iraola’s coaching, stating, “He's made me such a better player and better human. The steps that I've been able to take and how well I've been able to play consistently, it's because of him.”
Quizzed on exactly how Iraola has improved him, Adams said, “The way that I look at the game has just completely changed. The amount of times that he's looked at video and he says, ‘Tyler, you need to play forward in this situation,’ or, ‘Be half and half in this space to make sure that you can anticipate this.’...
“But I want to play for him even more now that he's leaving. I want it to end on the best note possible. Even down to the last game, you want to end with three points in every single game for him so that he can go on a high note like he deserves.”
Currently 11th in the Premier League, Iraola has six games left in charge before departing Bournemouth, starting with a trip to St James Park on Saturday to take on Newcastle United. His final game will take place on May 24 when they travel to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.
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