Football Today
·18 November 2024
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·18 November 2024
West Ham United manager faces an uncertain future at the London Stadium.
The Hammers appointed Julen Lopetegui as David Moyes’s replacement and properly backed the Spaniard in the summer transfer window.
The move has backfired as West Ham sit 14th in the Premier League with only 12 points on board, five points above the drop zone.
Despite bringing in as many as ten new players, not only have the results been below par, but the team appears to lack a playing identity.
While the Hammers board are ready to back their manager, they could make a change in the dugout if the results do not improve after the international break.
Put simply, West Ham need to win more games and climb up the table. In recent weeks, many pundits have feared that Lopetegui might get the sack, and Graham Potter has been linked as one of the potential candidates to replace him.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, Potter is inching for a return to management after missing out on the Manchester United and England job.
The 49-year-old manager is out of work after being sacked by Chelsea in 2023.
He is positioning himself on the market and Ajax, West Ham and Leicester City are keen to get him on board.
Nixon writes that Potter is open to a return to a Premier League club only if he can influence the rest of their season.
The Hammers have looked disjointed under Lopetegui, and he will need to put in a herculean effort to turn the situation around.
West Ham have an ageing squad, and there’s plenty of room for redevelopment. Potter did an incredible job at Brighton & Hove Albion, and there’s no reason why he can’t replicate that at West Ham if he is properly backed.
He was one of the architects behind developing Brighton’s recruitment model (arguably one of the best in the Premier League), and he could be perfect for West Ham.
Potter advocates an adventurous brand of football, and he could get the best out of attacking players like Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen.
With other clubs also looking to appoint him, West Ham cannot wait for too long.
The Hammers board must do everything they can to bring the former Chelsea boss to the London Stadium at the earliest.