Analysis: Why is it so difficult to reach the Big Six? Andoni Iraola's test for Liverpool

Going from a club that has overperformed in the Premier League to a team in the Big Six. It is often viewed as the natural next step in a coaching career. But statistics show that it is one of the most difficult problems. Both the short period of control of the team uneven performance And there are still no big trophies for coaches moving up this route. Andoni Iraola has reached a verbal agreement with Liverpool after leading Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish and the club's first European qualification. The question is how well he will handle the shocks of his new job. The short spell in charge of the team is a notable pattern. - Most don't last two seasons. Many were fired before the end of the first season. - David Moyes at Manchester United in 2013 was sacked after 10 months, causing the team to miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time since 1995. - Roy Hodgson took the Liverpool job in July 2010 after leading Fulham to the Europa League final. But they separated the following January. When the team was in 12th place, they won only 7 out of 20 matches. - Graham Potter managed Chelsea for 22 league matches, Nuno Espirito Santo at Tottenham for just 10 league matches. - Thomas Frank moved from Brentford to manage Tottenham and managed 26 games before leaving. Last longer But stability and trophies have not yet arrived. - Mark Hughes was with Manchester City for around 18 months before being replaced. - Brendan Rodgers, Harry Redknapp and Mauricio Pochettino all managed the team for more than three seasons. But ended without the big cup. Work numbers fluctuate. - Brendan Rodgers elevated Liverpool after moving from Swansea and nearly won the title in 2013-14 but couldn't hold on. Before being released in October 2015 - Harry Redknapp leads Tottenham into the top four and into the UEFA Champions League. - Mauricio Pochettino continued to elevate Spurs, reaching the UEFA Champions League final in 2019 and finishing runner-up in the 2016-17 league championship, but ultimately lost form and was released. - In other areas, the difference is unclear or has receded. For example, Mark Hughes at Manchester City's numbers are similar while managing Blackburn, Roy Hodgson's at Liverpool has slightly decreased, Thomas Frank has dropped after moving to Spurs, while Graham Potter's statistics at Chelsea are slightly better than Brighton's, but are examples where the database is still small. The big cup isn't there yet, but it's close by. - Since the Big Six emerged after 2008, no coach has gone from a Premier League team to the Big Six and won a major trophy. - There are Rodgers who almost won the league and Pochettino who was in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. - Enzo Maresca moves from Leicester to Chelsea in 2024, despite having never managed in the top flight before that. But they won the Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup in their only full season at Stamford Bridge. - Frank Lampard moves from Derby to Chelsea, leading the team back to the Champions League in their first season. But was released after 18 months. - Michael Carrick has been appointed permanent head coach of Manchester United, previously managing Middlesbrough in the championship Why is this step difficult? - Quick program Especially when there is European football. This reduces team practice and preparation time. In the 2025-26 season, the Big Six teams played an average of 55 matches, approximately 8 more matches than any other team. - Goals change from “exceed target” to “must reach target” consistently. Winning is not a bonus but a minimum. - A period of decline in form that may be acceptable to other teams. It turned out to be a decisive point in a club of this level. High pressure and scrutiny The error gap is narrow. Will Iraola be able to buck the trend? Andoni Iraola leaves Bournemouth after first trip to Europe, finishing 6th. His rapid progress makes his next step at Liverpool all the more important. Will he benefit more? Had he completed the European season with the Cherries before moving? Or will he prove himself to be able to successfully break the curse of coaches who move to the Big Six without winning trophies?