Andoni Iraola has revealed that Tommy Elphick rejected opportunities in the Championship this summer to join him at Liverpool, with the former Aston Villa defender unable to resist the chance to work at Anfield.
The new Liverpool boss is preparing the Reds for the upcoming campaign after succeeding Arne Slot, who departed the club at the end of last season. Elphick, who served as Iraola's assistant at Bournemouth, was strongly linked with the Bristol City job and is widely expected to step into a managerial role of his own in the future.
Speaking to LFCTV, Iraola explained how Elphick's lifelong support for Liverpool made the decision to move to Merseyside an easy one.
A dream come true
“Tommy, I tell him, he is living his dream,” Iraola told LFCTV. “I think he had this summer a chance to coach in the Championship. Good clubs called him, but I think he couldn’t miss this because he’s been a big Liverpool fan.”
The Spaniard revealed the emotional moment Elphick encountered two Liverpool legends, Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush, and how the defender reacted with sheer awe.
“We were talking the other day, meeting with the legends we have here, with Robbie Fowler, Ian Rush – he was like, ‘Oof, this is big’,” Iraola added. “I like how he is feeling it, and I think it’s very nice for him, yes.”
A proven partnership
Elphick was a key part of Iraola's backroom team during a remarkable spell at Bournemouth, where the club emerged as one of the Premier League's surprise packages. Now, together with Shaun Cooper, Elphick is expected to play a vital role in helping Liverpool adapt to Iraola's methods.
Iraola highlighted the immense value of having former English players in his coaching staff, particularly when it comes to understanding the mindset of the squad.
“Tommy and Shaun are very valuable because they have been English players, they’ve played in the Premier League, the Championship, League One; they understand the culture, they understand what the players are thinking,” Iraola said.
“So now, I think they are the best ones to transmit the same thing (his processes) to the players and to the new coaches that we already had in the club. They are helping me a lot.”
A bridge to the dressing room
The Liverpool boss also revealed how the assistants act as a vital link between himself and the squad, offering players an alternative channel for communication.
“I think they are sometimes in more touch with the players than me, because always with the manager there is a little bit more distance,” Iraola explained.
“I think the players are more comfortable sometimes with the assistants. They also know when to filter the information, when I need to know things.
“Sometimes they don’t tell me the things that for sure stay between them and the players. They are brilliant in this.”
Elphick, who made over 150 appearances for Bournemouth during his playing career, also had a spell at Aston Villa, and fans are being asked to share their memories of his time at Villa Park.
