While David Sullivan was feeling conflicted over what to do about Julen Lopetegui at West Ham just a few days ago, Tim Steidten had very strong views.
As the world and its wife knows by now, West Ham were considering sacking Julen Lopetegui in the event of defeats to Newcastle and Arsenal.
It was even claimed a heavy defeat at St James’s Park might see David Sullivan wield the axe.
Hammer News exclusively revealed a more likely scenario was that Lopetegui would be given until Leicester – and possibly even his old club Wolves – to turn things around.
Sullivan hates sacking managers mid-season. Especially if it means paying them off for failing.
In the background Tim Steidten had very clear ideas.
According to a host of reports – including a top German journalist who is close to West Ham’s technical director – Steidten had placed Edin Terzic on standby to take over.
Not only that, Steidten had allegedly been championing Terzic’s cause to the club’s majority owner.
Fans and the wider football press expected West Ham to be well beaten by in-form Newcastle.
But last week, a spokesman for the owners told Hammers News they did not expect that to be the case.
Previewing the game on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher predicted the Hammers were going to be ‘rolled over’ by Newcastle.
Criticism of Carragher since has been rather hypocritical given most West Ham fans predicted something similar.
What actually transpired caught everyone by surprise.
West Ham put in their best performance of 2024 – let alone under Lopetegui – to pull off a deserved 2-0 win.
But it was the manner of the performance which said more than the actually result itself.
What fired up Sullivan has privately told Steidten is revealing
West Ham have been awful so far this season and Lopetegui has been criticised for failing to get a tune out of his expensively assembled squad.
The Hammers have been accused of a lack of identity and resilience.
Only one West Ham starter was less than a 9/10 as Lopetegui got a win which keeps him in the job.
West Ham ran 119.1km, the second most anywhere in the Premier League this season.
Now all eyes are on whether that was a one-off or a statement of what’s to come from Lopetegui and his team.
Speaking to Hammers News after the Newcastle win, a spokesman for West Ham’s owners said they loved the team’s workrate.
Carragher has warned West Ham’s owners and fans not to be fooled by the running stats in a one-off game.
But what fired up Sullivan has privately told Steidten about risky West Ham plan is very revealing.
According to journalist Dean Jones, Sullivan has told Steidten to put any plans to bring Terzic back to West Ham on the back-burner for now.
Because after the win at Newcastle, Sullivan feels he has been vindicated for his patience with the Spaniard.
And Sullivan is said to be convinced Lopetegui is about to prove fans and the press wrong.
Not only with improved results but by finally implementing his style of play as there is a sense – in the boardroom at least – that the penny has dropped in the dressing room.
Jones says his sources have revealed the Spaniard will now be given time by Sullivan to prove ‘fans and doubters wrong’ after the poor start.
Patient Sullivan’s risky West Ham plan sees Terzic told to wait
“Sources have stated that he will be afforded more time to create his own identity in the capital city,” Jones said on Give Me Sport.
“Sullivan hopes that his patience with Lopetegui is going to pay off, and that the Spaniard can spark a turnaround at the London Stadium following their win on Tyneside, which has taken them to 14th in the Premier League table and just four points from sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.”
Jones adds that it was decided in private that Lopetegui would be given the chance against Newcastle to show the identity he wants in West Ham’s performances.
The reporter has reiterated that Sullivan and co were delighted with what they saw.
The win means Lopetegui will be safe for now and Sullivan hopes it has alleviated the pressure so the former Spain boss can manage without undue pressure clouding his decision-making and the team’s performances.
“Sporting director Tim Steidten had lined former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic up as his personal recommendation if a boss was to be sought-after, but that will now be pushed further back in the list of priorities after Monday’s win in the north-east,” Jones adds.
One swallow a summer does not make.
Sullivan and the board are well aware of that.
So it would be foolish to go all in about a brave new West Ham under Lopetegui after one result.
The signs were extremely encouraging, though, and it seems Sullivan and the board have been enthused by what they witnessed on Tyneside.
Arsenal will be another test altogether.
A heavy defeat in that game may see doubts creep in again. But a positive result could really give West Ham something to build on ahead of a kinder run of fixtures.
On the flip side, Terzic and other managerial targets currently without a job won’t wait forever.
So it could turn out to be a risky strategy if the Newcastle win does prove to be a false dawn.
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