The ‘shortlist’ of about fifteen names- has just got a little shorter. West Ham’s head coach crisis is likely reaching a pivotal point in the next two games as Julen Lopetegui needs results to go his way in order to keep his job. The ‘must win’ game against Everton was drawn with the most dire football in the Premier League this season.
So Lopetegui is on thin ice , needing to get something from the away match tonight at Newcastle or the Arsenal match at the weekend.
A host of ‘possible’ head coach replacements have been touted with everybody seemingly having their own favourites. Despite sources within the club repeating the mantra that West Ham don’t pay compensation – meaning the club would only recruit an out of work coach for the role if Lopetegui becomes surplus to requirements – there have been rumours most recently linking Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola with taking over at London Stadium.
Another on the ‘possibles’ list of candidates has today ruled himself out of the running. Brendan Rodgers, at Celtic for his second stint, has made it quite clear he plans to stay where he is for the time being. Comments he made to a Celtic fan site 67hailhail.com are pretty conclusive: Rodgers said:”They say in life, the biggest currency you have is time. As you get to 51 and older, you realise that. Time around people you love, your family, your workplace. And I would have to agree with that. Where I am at the minute, I’m at a brilliant place so we’ll just keep it that way.”
So, one name down, twenty others to consider: Lopetegui could ease his burden by putting on a decent performance at St James’s Park tonight. However much the bookies see a Newcastle win, I’m always an optimist when the whistle blows and will be just hoping for a moment of Summerville or Bowen magic which might grab us an unexpected win – and then the fun would really begin regarding Lopetegui’s future as everyone (yes, Claret and Hugh included) seems to have written him off.
