JUST Eight games in to the Premier League and Julen Lopetegui’s tenure at West Ham is already being undermined by well known radio pundits who are delighting in The Spaniard’s difficulties after their own acquaintance and broadcasting buddy David Moyes departed the club.
Now national newspapers are wading in claiming ‘ West Ham have five candidates to replace Lopetegui’ – this from Express.co.uk.
In their article they list the next-gen managers apparently lining up to take over from Lopetegui if called by the Sullivan – Steidten double act that seems to run the club.
And it is a pretty scary list: Gareth Southgate is on the list. He’d out-dull David Moyes (who’s also on the list again). Season tickets would be handed back by the score and we’d look silly with 15,000 watching Championship football next season. At least there’d be no queues for a half time cuppa.
Michael Carrick makes their list: Probably the sole insightful selection, I don’t see a beleaguered Chairman dumping Lopetegui and then taking a risk with another coach lacking in experience. Too soon for Carrick. Shame.
Unknown Kjetil Knutsen is also on the list – smacks of desperation and again too big a gamble if West Ham are stuck in a Premier League relegation battle. That leaves the fifth – Graham Potter – as the Express’ only viable option.
Would I feel better with Graham Potter at the helm instead of Lopetegui? Actually, no. The three months we’ve endured with ‘give us time’ would reset and we’d have another bedding – in period.
Lopetegui has got us into this mess, he can get us out of it.
Unless he cuts and runs. He has form remember. Roshane Thomas on twitterX claims Lopetegui asked ‘doubters to reserve judgement until May.’ I think Sullivan will stick with his man rather than backtrack and admit he got it wrong. So no Graham Potter anytime soon.
