Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v AFC Bournemouth - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - December 23, 2023 AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File photo
BOURNEMOUTH (Reuters) - Bournemouth players praised manager Andoni Iraola for their turnaround in fortunes in the Premier League after Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Fulham propelled them into the top half of the table.
Iraola's Bournemouth were winless in their first nine games, earning only three points to fall into the relegation zone.
However, the club stuck by the Spanish coach who was appointed in June and he has led the south-coast side up to 10th. In their last nine matches, they have picked up 22 points with seven wins and suffered just one loss against champions Manchester City.
"The beginning of the season, the coach had an idea and we lost a lot of games but we just did the same thing," Bournemouth goalscorer Justin Kluivert told Amazon Prime.
"We believed in him, he believed in us and the results came."
Alex Scott, whose scintillating run from the halfway line set up Kluivert's finish, said Iraola's coaching style has had a positive impact on the squad.
"A lot of what we do in training is huge. The confidence, he gives that to very player," he said.
"The way he speaks to us, the way he has us training after games. The confidence throughout the team comes from the top. He is a top manager."
Iraola, who watched Bournemouth's sixth victory in seven games from the stands after he was suspended for the match, credited the players' teamwork for their unbeaten run.
"There are a lot of small things that are clicking. We know each other much better," Iraola said.
"Everyone is pushing, there is strong competition for minutes. It's becoming tough for me to make the starting elevens, but it's good for the team."
When asked what it was like watching his team from the stands, he added: "It was not bad because we didn't suffer as much in the second half.
"I will try to have better behaviour and not have more yellow cards because I prefer the other experience!"
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
