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This week we’re looking at how Andoni Iraola has turned Bournemouth from relegation candidates to European challengers in just over 12 months. Sign up to receive more like this, plus exclusive analysis, insights and transfer talk straight to your inbox every week.

Imagine having to integrate four or five new first team players after losing some of your most influential stars, all while maintaining good form so you can challenge at the top of the table. 

Difficult, as Arne Slot is finding out. But not so much for Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth, who sit in second place and look like they belong to be there. 

The Cherries and the Evangelos Marinakis ego machine that is Nottingham Forest are quite different. 

Forest shocked everyone last season with their sudden transformation from chaotic relegation strugglers to reliable top six challengers (and now back again) while Bournemouth’s rise has been steadier, but just as surprising. 

And it hasn’t come easy either. When Iraola arrived in the summer of 2023 he failed to win a league game in his first nine attempts but was given time to perfect his system.

Since then,...