West Ham and Aston Villa were two of the busiest clubs in the summer window and both have Basque managers but feel like clubs heading in very different directions.
Julen Lopetegui and Unai Emery were both well backed in the summer window at West Ham and Aston Villa.
The Hammers board committed £155m to signing nine players for technical director Tim Steidten and Lopetegui.
Aston Villa also heavily backed Emery again albeit after making some sales to satisfy PSR – much to the very public frustration of the club’s owners.
While Emery was winning widespread praise for guiding Aston Villa into the Champions League at the end of last season, West Ham’s search for a manager to replace David Moyes dominated headlines.
The search became very public and Moyes banned Steidten from being around the first team.
West Ham had a long shortlist of candidates but in the end opted for ex Wolves boss Lopetegui.
Hiring a Basque manager is all the rage in football nowadays.
And it certainly hasn’t done the likes of Aston Villa, Arsenal or Bournemouth any harm.
Lopetegui has major Steidten issue at West Ham says Collymore
West Ham have endured a difficult start to life under Lopetegui, though.
Just one win in six Premier League games so far has piled early pressure on West Ham.
Meanwhile Villa are up in fifth place in the fledgling table and got their Champions League campaign off to a flying start.
While Emery is hero-worshipped at Aston Villa, Lopetegui would just be happy with a win right now.
It was claimed recently that Hammers technical director Steidten warned majority owner off appointing Lopetegui.
The German is said to have wanted a different kind of manager to the Spaniard and Moyes.
It is reported Sullivan pulled rank after being impressed by Lopetegui and Steidten reluctantly agreed.
That claim emerged from a journalist the moment things got sticky at West Ham for the new head coach.
Lopetegui has major Steidten issue at West Ham and should’ve learned from Aston Villa boss Emery says Stan Collymore.
Hammers boss should’ve learned from Emery at Villa
Speaking in his column for Caught Offside, former Villa star Collymore says Lopetegui should have taken a leaf out of Emery’s book when he agreed to become West Ham boss by insulating himself with his own people.
Emery has insisted on the appointment of several people around him including – as Steidten’s equivalent at Villa – Monchi as sporting director.
Collymore insists Lopetegui must be given time at West Ham.
But he believes he may regret agreeing to work for and with someone else’s man in Steidten.
“Is Julen Lopetegui a man that’s capable? The answer is yes. He wouldn’t have had the jobs that he’s had if he wasn’t a capable coach,” Collymore said.
“I think that where he rubs people up the wrong way is that he’s probably one of those guys within the club that once he’s got his feet under the desk, he wants things done his way and he’s probably not the most tactful of guys.
“Unai Emery is a very good ‘football politician’ who knows how to play that side of the game and has surrounded himself with four or five of his men at Aston Villa. He’s insulated from the chairman, the owner, the director of football; all of the big decision makers at the club effectively. So if and when things start to go wrong, the club need to consider whether they’ll want to sack a handful of very important people.
“Lopetegui doesn’t have that luxury at West Ham.
“The issue he has now is that he hasn’t got results behind him, so he has to get a few wins on the board quickly or he’ll be under mounting pressure.
“From my perspective, it’s really simple for Lopetegui; he’s probably got to win two thirds of his games before the Christmas break to have a chance of then going “it’s taken a little bit of time, but here we are to silence the doubters.”
“Lopetegui’s been at Real Madrid, the Spanish national team, Wolverhampton Wanderers… there are people that will say if you give this guy time, he’ll get you to the promised land.”
Collymore also highlighted the facts and figures behind any so-called ‘new manager bounce’ West Ham might achieve by replacing Lopetegui.
And he argued that Moyes coming back at Christmas might make West Ham two per cent better short-term, but questioned whether that is really the way to go.
“Your move, West Ham,” Collymore added.
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