Wildly conflicting claims have been made about whether West Ham will sack Julen Lopetegui if they lose to Everton but now David Sullivan must act.
Julen Lopetegui’s head must be spinning at West Ham.
After a terrible start to life in east London, speculation over his Hammers future has been rife.
The 3-0 defeat at Forest was seen as the beginning of the end.
West Ham’s owners publicly backed the Spaniard in the immediate aftermath.
But as the week wore on things changed.
Stories started to emerge from journalists well connected at West Ham that Everton was a must-win for Lopetegui.
Roshane Thomas, Jacob Steinberg, Graeme Bailey, Alex Crook and several more stated West Ham’s crunch Premier League clash with the Toffees could be the Spaniard’s last if he doesn’t get a win.
There have since been counter claims, from the likes of The Telegraph’s Jason Burt and Jim White, that Lopetegui will not be sacked yet even if the Hammers lose 5-0.
The manager must be as confused as the fans right now.
It seems the owners are too.
The last pause in the season until March is almost upon us with the November international break.
West Ham face a daunting couple of fixtures afterwards against Newcastle and Arsenal.
So there is no respite on the horizon for Lopetegui, who will be without his best player Mohammed Kudus for both of them as well as Everton.
Sullivan must be ready to axe Lopetegui after news from Spain
Many West Ham fans and observers feel they’ve seen enough already and the 57-year-old needs to go.
Others believe he needs more time to implement his ideas.
But West Ham chief David Sullivan must be ready to axe Lopetegui after major news from Spain.
In the last week alone the Hammers have been linked with now fewer than six managers.
Amid talk Lopetegui may be fired, Graham Potter and Edin Terzic were joined by Roger Schmidt, Sebastian Hoeness, Sergio Conceicao and Kasper Hjulmand on an alleged shortlist of potential replacements.
But one absolutely huge name could soon be available who has stated previously he would manage West Ham.
Former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has been linked with West Ham on several occasions in the past.
When West Ham were replacing both Manuel Pellegrini and Slaven Bilic, serial winner Ancelotti was in the Hammers frame.
While it may seem fanciful to suggest, the man himself has previously stated he is open to the idea of managing West Ham.
When boss of Chelsea back in 2011, Ancelotti stated he would happily manage West Ham to stay in English football.
And that was even when the Hammers had just been relegated.
Ancelotti on brink at Real Madrid and why not West Ham next
“I would coach West Ham – why not,” Ancelotti said at the time.
“It’s a challenge to manage a team outside of the top four…
“The atmosphere at West Ham is amazing. I have respect for every team and the job of my colleagues. It is the same and it doesn’t matter if you can manage a top team or a smaller team. If a club said to me, ‘You can manage this club without money’, I’d have to decide whether to accept or not. Money is not a motivation. The money has never been a motivation for me.”
If West Ham can attract two former Real Madrid coaches in the shape of Pellegrini and now Lopetegui then why not Ancelotti?
After all the hugely popular Italian agreed to manage Everton so why not West Ham.
Because it is now being reported Ancelotti’s position at Real Madrid is facing increasing uncertainty.
It is being widely claimed his future depends heavily on the team’s performance in the coming weeks.
Journalist Rodra, as reported by Madrid Zone, claims figures at Real Madrid are not ruling out the possibility of dismissing Ancelotti if form does not improve soon.
After managing Everton why not West Ham?
According to Madrid Universal, Rodra’s sources indicate that sacking Ancelotti is a topic of serious discussion among Real Madrid’s leadership.
And it is stated that Ancelotti himself has acknowledged the criticism, understanding that when results falter, the manager bears much of the responsibility. He openly recognises the pressure he is under, especially as critical matches lie ahead.
With that in mind, Sullivan must be ready to axe Lopetegui if there is any indication Ancelotti would be open to the West Ham job should Real Madrid sack him.
It is well known the 65-year-old loved living in London so that would appeal too.
The idea is not as far-fetched as it might seem.
But the Hammers hierarchy must be ready to act without hesitation.
If there’s a chance to bring in a manager who has won 14 trophies with Real Madrid to replace one who was sacked after just 14 games with the Spanish giants, it’s a no-brainer.
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