Julen Lopetegui’s man management has been called into question at West Ham and now Gerard Pique has made some revealing comments.
West Ham are reportedly close to sacking Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard has overseen a disastrous start to his Hammers tenure with just three league wins.
West Ham go to Newcastle on Monday and face Arsenal at the weekend.
Lose those matches and West Ham’s owners will axe Lopetegui it’s been claimed.
Lopetegui is being dubbed ‘Flopetegui’ by many Hammers fans.
Despite having nine new players at a cost of over £155m, West Ham are just three points off the relegation zone.
Should the Hammers suffer two defeats in their daunting upcoming fixtures, they could well find themselves in the bottom three exactly a third of the way through the Premier League season.
That is clearly totally unacceptable for a team that was being tipped for Europe in the summer.
West Ham have actually built a clause into Lopetegui’s contract which will see him handed an extra year on his deal should he lead them back to the continent.
Speculation had been rife the former Spain, Sevilla and Real Madrid boss might be sacked during the international break.
The 58-year-old survived, though.
Now he is reportedly facing two games to decide his fate.
Now a bona fide Spain legend has questioned Lopetegui’s man management.
Spain legend Gerard Pique has stuck the boot in on West Ham boss Lopetegui after what he did to him.
Lopetegui’s tenure thus far has been dogged by claims of unrest behind the scenes.
Journalist Alex Crook claimed recently that several West Ham players are ‘unconvinced’ about Lopetegui.
Other journalists have also made similar claims.
And certain players have done little to play down that narrative with their actions either.
Gerard Pique sticks boot in on West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui
West Ham’s star player Mohammed Kudus took on the manager in the changing room at Brentford after being singled out for harsh criticism about not being a team player.
When he was substituted at half-time after that altercation, Kudus was seen kicking a seat on his return to the bench for the second half.
His head loss at Spurs was seen by some as a result of the player’s deep frustration with the manager, who had been playing him out of position on the left.
Midfielder Edson Alvarez has also shown indiscipline with two red cards.
He and Lucas Paqueta have been seen showing public dissent towards Lopetegui when substituted as well.
Another three other West Ham stars made their disgust clear to Lopetegui when they were subbed off against Everton last time out.
Over the break there was more unrest as claims emerged that a West Ham trio all want to leave in January.
Now former Spain and Barcelona hero Pique has lifted the lid on Lopetegui’s man management.
And it perhaps shows just why some West Ham players can’t take to him.
Pique says Lopetegui was responsible for his “worst experience as a professional” during their time together with Spain.
Speaking in an interview with TV3, Pique was asked about his lowest moment in football.
That’s when West Ham’s under fire manager was mentioned.
Lopetegui’s ‘outrageously’ bad man management highlighted
It followed the Catalan independence referendum which caused much division in Spain.
Pique had spoken in support of Catalan independence – a controversial move given he was a Spain international but his own personal opinion.
The former Barca player recalled it as “a very tough day” and explained that after the match “they put the microphone on me in the mixed zone. I got emotional, and the next day I went to Madrid for the Spanish national team.”
When he arrived Pique revealed his utter surprise and disgust that Lopetegui and the captain Sergio Ramos pulled him aside and told him he had to apologise.
Pique couldn’t believe the situation and could not hide his disdain for the Hammers boss for the way he handled the situation.
Lopetegui’s demand has been described as ‘outrageous’ by Football Espana.
Pique even revealed Lopetegui had a pre-written statement prepared which he wanted Pique to read in apology. The former defender of course refused.
‘I threw Lopetegui statement in the bin’ says Pique
“Gerard, you’ve positioned yourself very in favour of Catalonia,” Lopetegui allegedly told him.
Pique said his response was: “Man, I think I’ve positioned myself for the right to vote, and I won’t make any public declaration asking for forgiveness.”
Lopetegui then handed him a paper with a statement saying that he had to attend a press conference the next day and read it.
“Look, if you want me to do a press conference, but I will do it in my way, and I will say what I think,” Pique said.
“And I won’t apologise, I can warn you of that.”
He threw the now West Ham manager’s statement in the bin after reading it in his room, and said that from then on, his time with the national team was a nightmare.
Lopetegui would go on to be sacked by Spain for taking the Real Madrid job on the eve of a World Cup they were favourites to win.
Pique retired from Spain duty after that World Cup.
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