‘Lopetegui Needs Results’ shouted the Guardian last night :”Julen Lopetegui has two games to save job as West Ham consider replacements.”
Jacob Steinberg, well-connected journalist and remembered by Hammers’ fans for calling several of this summer’s signings (and it was he who worked on Mark Noble’s autobiography) is not normally one for sensationalising.
It is clear that the pressure widely reported in recent days and published on Claret and Hugh last week appears to be materialising: As the West Ham board stare down the barrel of another two heavy defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal the consequences of failure for head coach Lopetegui are being made pretty clear.
We have seen this before with the ‘must-win’ game against Everton that wasn’t must-win after all. However, this time, I suspect David Sullivan already has his shortlist ready to go with preferred options pencilled in too: The Hammers Chairman is not a Premier League boss to leap without the successor already lined up, waiting in the wings.
Steinberg teases Hammers’ fans with:”The Guardian understands there are others coaches in the running. Long- and short-term appointments are being considered.” Which will be music to over 85% of Hammers fans- the number voicing no confidence in Lopetegui in a recent on-line poll.
Long and short term? Either. Bring them on. Both options have their merits, the opportunity that would give Steidten and Sullivan to to ‘do it right’ this time is clear. West Ham have endured a crisis with the appointment of ‘the Spanish Moyes’ – getting another cheap choice in, who fails to turn this expensive squad into a successful team would turn a crisis into a disaster.
