Leeds United managerial target Andoni Iraola addresses speculation linking him to Whites vacancy after Rayo Vallecano win - Yorkshire Post 7/2/23
Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola kept his cards close to his chest when questioned about the speculation linking him with a move to Leeds United.
Ben McKenna
The Whites sacked Jesse Marsch on Monday, a day after a 1-0
loss at Nottingham Forest which left Leeds with just four wins from 20 Premier
League games. They remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Ex-Leeds Under-23s manager and current West Brom boss Carlos
Corberan was made the early favourite to replace Marsch with later reports
claiming Iraola was one man being eyed by Leeds. He is now second favourite
with the bookmakers.
He guided Vallecano to a 2-0 win over Almeria on Monday
night, as the club moved to fifth in the La Liga table. He took charge of the
club in August 2020 and guided the outfit into the Spanish top flight in his
first season before earning a 12th-placed finish in top fight last term.
He has also managed in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca and at
Spanish second division outfit CD Mirandés. He signed a 12-month extension with
Vallecano in May last year, having done the same at the end of the previous
season.
When asked about the possibility of joining Leeds, Iraola
put the focus on his players as he refused to be drawn on the speculation. He
said: “Football belongs to the footballers, we are not that important. The
players make us look better and I am lucky to have players who are showing
their level.