A journalist claims Julen Lopetegui has two games to save his job as West Ham boss but the truth is likely to be very different, Hammers News can reveal.
Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian is known to be in contact with Hammers co-owner David Sullivan.
So his claim that Julen Lopetegui could be sacked if West Ham lose to Newcastle and Arsenal carries some weight.
It’s even stated that Sullivan could pull the plug if the Hammers suffer a particularly heavy defeat at St James’s Park on Monday night.
Cynical West Ham fans think the owners are setting Lopetegui up for a fall.
Expecting the Irons to avoid defeat against Newcastle and Arsenal – with the form the team has been in all year let alone this season – does look like a kiss of death.
But the truth of the matter is Sullivan is feeling very conflicted right now.
The majority owner likes Lopetegui, a lot. He described him to Hammers News as a ‘real pro’ after bringing him to the club.
The billionaire speaks with the former Wolves boss once a week.
While most expect West Ham to suffer two chastening defeats in the next two games, the owners do not.
There is hope Lopetegui can somehow turn things around.
Truth about when Lopetegui will really be sacked by West Ham
But little evidence has been provided that might be in the offing.
Even if Lopetegui does pick off a shock win, Hammers fans are just not sold that he is the man to take the club on.
In truth they never have been.
When West Ham were gearing up to face Everton it was billed as a must-win game for Lopetegui.
What followed was as dull and uninspiring a match as you could ever have the misfortune of watching.
Fans came away from the 0-0 draw thinking the same thing – if that was West Ham’s players fighting to save their manager then it’s a damning indictment of what they think of the 57-year-old.
There’s been claim and counter claim about that with several players showing dissent towards Lopetegui in a very public manner.
Everton clearly wasn’t the “must win” some journalists had claimed, though.
Because Lopetegui remains in post, now with a new two-game warning hanging over his head.
But that doesn’t tally with information from my sources at the club.
The truth about when Lopetegui will really be sacked by West Ham will infuriate fans.
While catastrophic defeats could well see Sullivan forced to act, Hammers News understands a different scenario is much more likely to play out.
Many Hammers supporters may not like hearing this.
Lopetegui will get Leicester too and maybe Wolves too
But Lopetegui’s position is more likely to be reviewed if West Ham lose to Newcastle and Arsenal and fail to beat Leicester.
Should that happen then his job could be on the line.
But even then our information – from a very credible source – is that it might take three defeats in those games to bring the axe down.
Should a worst case scenario unfold in those matches then, depending on the nature of the defeats, Lopetegui may even get the Wolves home game on December 9th too.
Publicly Lopetegui has been asking to be judged in May. Privately he has been urging the owners to let him get his full strength side together for a run of games.
Mohammed Kudus is back for Leicester and the manager reckons Niclas Fullkrug could be too.
Sullivan usually includes relegation zone termination clause
Sullivan always builds a clause into the contracts of his managers that they can be sacked – either without compensation or for a reduced pay-out – if the team is in the bottom three after a certain number of games.
Previously that’s been set at around the halfway stage.
It’s what resulted in Manuel Pellegrini being shown the door – ironically after a December game against Leicester.
By Leicester there is a chance West Ham could be in the bottom three. Whether a termination clause has been included – and can be used after 14 or 15 games should that be the case, is not clear.
If not then the pay-out would amount to around £5m in wages for the remainder of Lopetegui’s two-year deal.
There will be a small number of fans of course who feel Lopetegui needs more time.
So this news will please that minority.
Wherever you stand, be wary of talk Lopetegui will be sacked if West Ham lose to Newcastle and Arsenal.
Because he’s likely to still be in charge at the King Power regardless.
Related Posts
