Keith Wyness drops verdict on Andoni Iraola becoming next Crystal Palace manager
Andoni Iraola should not be tempted to move from Bournemouth to Crystal Palace this summer.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who has explained why he thinks Iraola is “best to stay” at Bournemouth.
Iraola’s contract at Bournemouth expires at the end of the season, whilst Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave Crystal Palace when the campaign concludes.
Crystal Palace have begun the process of searching for a new manager, with Tottenham boss Thomas Frank having already emerged as a contender if he is sacked by the north London club.
Andoni Iraola is ‘going to stay with Bournemouth’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – can’t foresee Iraola becoming the next Crystal Palace manager.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness though thinks Iraola would be an “obvious replacement” for Glasner.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “It’s a difficult one. I know that Iraola seems to be an obvious replacement for Glasner in that sense, but I think, you know, Bill Foley is building quite a project at Bournemouth.
“I’m not quite sure where they are in terms of timing for the new stadium, but that’s something that’s going to be happening. I think for Iraola, I think it might be better to stay with the devil you know of Bill Foley and Bournemouth, rather than actually jumping in with the, you know, with the Steve Parish show.
“I think that I don’t see him being the one that’s going to make the move from Bournemouth to Palace, so I’m saying no. I think he’s going to stay with Bournemouth, even though he would be an obvious replacement. I think he’s still got a lot to learn in the Premier League and I think he’s best served where he is right now, and I think he’s getting the backing to a degree.
“Although Bournemouth again have been a selling club recently, I still think he’s going to get the backing to be able to spend and bring in more young talent that he can pick himself. So I don’t think that one’s going to happen.
“I think Bournemouth and Palace are in very similar situations and I think it would be going from the fry pan into the fire. So I think he’s best to stay where he is.”
Crystal Palace fail in late January window move
It was a hectic deadline day at Crystal Palace, with deals for Jean-Philippe Mateta and Dwight McNeil both collapsing.
Mateta’s move to AC Milan fell through, although it did not prevent the Eagles from signing Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Crystal Palace had also agreed a £20million deal for Dwight McNeil from Everton, before the Eagles changed the terms of the agreement, and subsequently pulled out of the signing.