Iraola steps down could be disastrous as Manchester City relegation and sacks prove

Andoni Iraola ought to be careful if he leaves Bournemouth for Chelsea or Crystal Palace; the only other managers to take a step down all struggled.

Only six managers have ever left one Premier League club in the summer for another top-flight side they finished above in the previous season.

That sextet lasted an average of 73 games and 19 months in their new posts. If Iraola swaps Bournemouth for Chelsea or Crystal Palace, he will be fighting against history.

Thomas Frank – Brentford (10th) to Spurs (17th), 2025

In October 2024, Frank noted that: “If I ever got the offer to go to a big club and I decided to go there, it would probably not make my life better. I think we all know that.”

Long before his eventual Spurs demise in…