It is all change at West Ham this month and there may be more to come as David Sullivan loses patience with what he has seen.
At any club the manager usually carries the can and that was no different for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham this week.
The Spaniard became the shortest-serving permanent manager in West Ham’s 130-year history as he was fired with a worse win percentage than the hapless Avram Grant across all competitions.
There is absolutely no doubt that Lopetegui was largely to blame for West Ham’s dismal season.
Especially in light of confirmation of reports that had abound about the lack of morale in the camp and bond with his players.
Hammers fans have been pointing fingers higher up the food chain too, though.
One of David Moyes’ biggest but most understated achievements during his time at the London Stadium was extinguishing the toxic atmosphere that had engulfed the club.
The Scot oversaw a relatively serene four-and-a-half years, quietening discontent among some fans towards West Ham’s ownership.
That forcefield has slowly diminished over the last year.
As a result both technical director Tim Steidten and majority owner David Sullivan have come in for criticism from many.
Sullivan in particular has faced the wrath of Hammers fans again this week over his “treatment” of Lopetegui.
Although many of those demanding Lopetegui be treated with dignity and respect would have been the same ones chanting ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ at the 58-year-old four days prior.
When West Ham survived a battering at home to Brighton recently, Hammers News pointed out something interesting about who Sullivan watched the game with.
Sullivan was spotted looking unimpressed alongside agent Will Salthouse.
West Ham chief Sullivan attacked over Salthouse relationship
Unique Sports Group agency chief Salthouse is a name well known to West Ham fans.
Salthouse is close friends with the sons of West Ham’s main stakeholder.
It was claimed in the summer that Salthouse was key to Lopetegui getting the Hammers job in the first place.
Now West Ham chief Sullivan has been attacked by a prominent journalist over his relationship with agent Salthouse.
The Telegraph’s Sam Wallace has claimed the influence the likes of Salthouse have in Sullivan’s decision-making means West Ham will never progress as a club.
Wallace says that West Ham’s ‘relatively clean ownership structure’ should make for a smoothly run operation.
However, he believes it is anything but as it ‘somehow finds itself periodically in chaos’.
“The Lopetegui appointment was a case in point,” Wallace states in The Telegraph.
“The Spanish coach was allied to the agency USG, run by agent Will Salthouse – a close associate of Sullivan. The pair were pictured sitting together at the home fixture against Brighton this season.
“Salthouse and USG are listed by official Football Association documents as having overseen Michail Antonio’s most recent contract extension and the departure of Pablo Fornals. One suspects there may be further USM deals with West Ham listed in the next FA summary of intermediary activity.
“As well as Salthouse and Steidten, there is chief executive Karren Brady, who attends Premier League shareholder meetings on the club’s behalf. Yet even with all these executives and consultants in the mix, West Ham’s summer window was unimpressive to say the least…
“The Lopetegui era follows a similar pattern, and it will be the same people who oversaw it whom Potter will be obliged to work for.”
Wallace calling out Sullivan over the Salthouse connection will strike a chord with many West Ham fans.
But most football clubs have one or two preferred agents they use to do deals.
Wan-Bissaka proves Hammers can’t have it both ways
Wolves have enjoyed some of the best years in their modern history with super agent Jorge Mendes bringing half of Portugal to Molineux.
Whether it is the right way to run a club is open to debate.
It should be noted Salthouse’s firm has well over 300 players and managers on their books after a merger with German agency International Sports Management back in 2021.
So he’s hardly a bad person to know in football.
Whether Sullivan is too easily influenced by Salthouse’s suggestions and recommendations only they know.
Take one of West Ham’s best summer signings as an example – Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Most Hammers fans would agree he has been one of the shining lights in an otherwise dreadful campaign.
Guess who his agent is? Yes, Salthouse.
So it’s all well and good criticising the influence of the agent but there are examples where that relationship is clearly beneficial to West Ham as well.
Would West Ham have been able to do a deal for Wan-Bissaka without that Salthouse link? Who knows. But it can’t have hurt.
Wallace is right to shine a light on the relationship at a national level.
But nobody was criticising it when West Ham were ticking along nicely under Moyes.
And they won’t be if and when Potter gets the Hammers back on track.
One thing that is becomingly increasingly clear is that Steidten looks to be on his way soon.
It is then that all eyes need to be on the involvement of Salthouse.
Because West Ham supporters would want a push for someone like Dan Ashworth to be reunited with Potter.
But if Salthouse’s influence is elevated instead, then eyebrows will understandably be raised.
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