After an unofficial truce, the blame game has begun over West Ham’s dismal season and shots have well and truly been fired.
The fallout from West Ham’s decision to appoint Julen Lopetegui and hand Tim Steidten control of recruitment continues.
West Ham’s £155m spend last summer was a big gamble.
Quite literally on the club’s part as West Ham’s owners did a £69m deal with Barclays to borrow all future money owed to them on transfers.
The board have made it clear £80m losses are on the horizon for the Hammers.
Any signings Lopetegui’s replacement Graham Potter wants to make this summer will have to be funded by player sales.
Potter blamed Lopetegui for West Ham struggles
Kyle Macauley is working on cost effective targets while majority owner David Sullivan has reprised his role as West Ham’s de facto technical director.
PSR-hit West Ham’s desperation for cash was clear in a big announcement last week.
It presents Potter with a big problem this summer.
West Ham are not in any danger of relegation this season.
But with players being shipped out, recruitment in the next window will be among the most important at the club for many years.
Given where West Ham are in the league – two places off the relegation zone – any more backward steps could be disastrous.
Ex-West Ham boss Lopetegui hits back at Potter
Potter has had mixed results and performances in the first two months of his tenure since replacing Lopetegui.
Some fans have voiced disappointment at the style of play thus far.
Potter hit back by blaming Lopetegui after the defeat to Newcastle this week.
The Hammers boss said work on the attack has been neglected because he has had to prioritise fixing the defensive mess Lopetegui left behind.
Potter doubled down on those comments in his pre-Everton press conference, pointing out Lopetegui left behind the fourth worst defence in the Premier League.
Somewhat surprisingly, Lopetegui sent a classy farewell to West Ham when he was sacked.
That was despite a rumoured big fallout with Steidten and many feeling he was poorly treated by the board in his final days.
Now ex-West Ham boss Lopetegui has hit back at Potter and taken aim at one man.
Hammers truce over as Lopetegui takes aim at Steidten
After a cease fire between all parties following his sacking, the Spaniard spoke out in an interview recently.
Lopetegui criticised West Ham’s owners over his sacking saying they gave up on him too soon and should have judged his work in May.
Tellingly, though, the 58-year-old flat out refused to comment on Steidten when asked a direct question about the German.
West Ham actually sent a classy response to Lopetegui, backing him to do well in his next job.
After Potter’s criticism of his predecessor, though, it seems the gloves are off.
In a new interview, Lopetegui has defended his Hammers record and made it clear he has no respect for Steidten.
Lopetegui refuted Potter’s suggestion he inherited a mess, blaming injuries and red cards for their struggles in the first half of the season.
Former West Ham boss defends record and slams Steidten
He even rather incredibly pointed to the downward trend the Hammers have been on from 13th to 16th since his departure.
The former Wolves boss insists the second half of the season was going to be better and he is convinced he would have overseen a top half finish.
Lopetegui also insists West Ham’s players were behind him and that he got on well with everyone on the board.
He clearly has no time for Steidten, though.
“Yes (I was surprised to be sacked), because we had the commitment of the players,” Lopetegui told AS.
“We were in a time of change. We accepted it. West Ham is a club with different shareholders, and we had a very good relationship with all of them. No one told us we were in danger.
“I’m not going to talk about him (Steidten). I’ve always had a good relationship with all the sporting directors I’ve worked for, even when we had our differences. I know that a club can’t hand over the keys to a coach, but I’ve always been a club man. That’s why I prefer to ignore that person, to be honest.
“It’s happened (a downward trend since Lopetegui left), and you’re left wondering what would have happened if I had stayed there.
“The truth is, we’ve always had the players’ conviction. That’s why we were angry and sad about West Ham.”
Lopetegui also claimed he has had two interesting job offers since leaving West Ham.
