West Ham United could have gone about their new manager search in two ways in the summer and they chose cheap and available.
After four-and-a-half years of David Moyes West Ham fans craved something different.
Moyes’ risk averse low block worked well before West Ham’s Premier League rivals figured out their counter attacking ways.
The Hammers eventually became a busted flush.
And the football when that style of football stops getting results I don’t care who you support, it becomes tedious and uninspiring very quickly.
I like thousands of other West Ham fans wanted the club to be brave in their next appointment.
Or at least ambitious.
I wanted a younger, more modern manager with fresh ideas.
Someone who could capture the imagination and bring something different to east London.
The thing with West Ham supporters is they get a bad rap.
Yes we are demanding but we don’t expect to compete for or win trophies every season.
We don’t even expect to win most weeks. But we do want to be entertained and above all we want hope.
When West Ham as a club has hope – like the Di Canio, Payet and early Moyes years – they can be a juggernaut.
That hope filled the air in the summer when the Hammers decided to listen to supporters and go in a different direction.
But the club should have known from the reaction of fans that Julen Lopetegui was not the one.
West Ham have seen very quickly why Lopetegui is not rated at Porto, was turfed out of Real Madrid after just 14 games and upset the powers-that-be when Spain boss.
Go back to Portugal for Lopetegui replacement but not Amorim
The 57-year-old may have been a decent coach at one time.
But West Ham fans – like Milan’s – didn’t want him.
There were far more interesting and innovative names on the club’s shortlist. And plenty out there who weren’t on it but should have been.
Unlike Milan fans, though, the Hammers faithful didn’t kick up enough of a fuss to make it clear Lopetegui was not the direction they wanted to go in.
After a year out of the game, Lopetegui’s approach and style already looks out of date.
Managers like Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino, Moyes, Sam Allardyce and others are struggling to stay relevant in the modern game.
It has moved on so much tactically and technically that they are being left behind.
Clubs like Brighton and Bournemouth are being richly rewarded for bold, well researched appointments.
West Ham are paying the price already for a dull, unimaginative hire based on cheapness and availability.
Lopetegui was always going to need time to get things in order at West Ham.
Moyes made sure of that with the mess he left the squad in.
But dress it up whatever way you want, there are no signs he is the right man for the job.
There is not one single area we can hang our hats on and say ‘this has markedly improved’ or ‘this gives us hope’.
Already clear Lopetegui was cheap and wrong hire at West Ham
There is a lack of style, identity, excitement, hope, resilience, nous and discipline at West Ham.
The manager has been clashing with players. And anyone who watches videos from first team training can see it is so deathly quiet.
Lopetegui sucked the life out of the excitement that surrounded West Ham’s best ever transfer window.
The Hammers tasked him with qualifying for Europe. But after the start West Ham have made, staying out of the relegation mix is a more likely assignment.
That is completely unacceptable regardless of the rebuild he’s overseeing.
It’s all well and good arguing Lopetegui needs time. But West Ham only gave him a two-year deal so they clearly expected or wanted to see improvement quickly.
If results and the way the team plays doesn’t improve fast then David Sullivan, Tim Steidten and the board will have a big decision to make around Christmas time.
And West Ham must go back to Portugal for their Lopetegui replacement but not Ruben Amorim.
When Steidten was searching for Moyes’ successor in the summer, Amorim was the prime target.
A very high profile meeting between the Sporting boss and the club resulted in Moyes banning Steidten from being around the first team.
Amorim really captured the imagination of West Ham fans. He – or someone like him – was exactly what this club needed.
A complete sea change, someone bursting with new ideas. Amorim is destined for bigger things once he leaves Sporting with talk Man City will be in for him when Pep Guardiola leaves.
But West Ham need to go back to Portugal and bring Sergio Conceicao to east London.
Hammers must go and get Sergio Conceicao
If West Ham are not going to be bold and appoint a manager who can transform them into a possession-dominant, innovative attacking force then go out and get the best there is to suit the players we have.
Make no mistake, Conceicao is a top manager.
He has achieved significant success with Porto since his appointment in 2017. His career, especially at Porto, has demonstrated he has the tactical intelligence, leadership and the ability to consistently compete at a high level both domestically and in European competitions.
Conceicao’s passion and approach has earned him comparisons with Diego Simeone.
He’s nowhere near as pragmatic and risk averse as Simeone but every bit as passionate and demanding.
Since joining Porto, Conceição has won multiple Primeira Liga titles, along with domestic cups such as the Taça de Portugal and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.
Under his leadership, Porto has maintained its status as one of the dominant forces in Portuguese football, often challenging rivals like Benfica and Sporting CP.
He is best known for being extremely versatile tactically. He does employ a pragmatic approach, tailoring his team’s style based on the opposition.
But that doesn’t mean it’s boring to watch in any way, shape or form. Quite the opposite in fact. There’d be no three goals in eight minute collapses under him.
And West Ham would get high pressing, compact defensive shapes and quick transitions in abundance with Conceição at the helm.
He’s also comfortable switching formations with a solid 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 his preferred setups depending on the match requirements and opposition.
Conceição has consistently led Porto to competitive runs in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, with standout performances, including eliminating Juventus in the 2020-21 Champions League round of 16.
His Porto side has gained a reputation for being tough to break down in Europe, showing that he can manage at the highest level.
But it is his strong leadership and ability to motivate his players which makes him perfect for West Ham.
Conceição is early Mourinho-esque in the way he creates a close-knit, competitive squad and siege mentality.
And guess what West Ham fans – he loves nothing more than helping develop and bring through young talents into the first team.
His intensity and passion are often visible on the touchline, and he demands a lot from his players, instilling a winning mentality.
Conceição’s football might not be the most aesthetically pleasing for fans of attacking, possession-dominant play, it is highly effective, intense, and tactically flexible. His ability to adapt to various situations, especially in Europe, often leads to successful results, making him highly respected in football circles.
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