Darren Bent makes Graham Potter to West Ham United admission in new Julen Lopetegui verdict
Darren Bent admits he would have liked to have seen Graham Potter join West Ham United ahead of Julen Lopetegui.
The Hammers boss is under pressure heading into the London Stadium clash with Everton on Saturday (9 November) with Potter potentially a candidate to replace him in the Irons’ dugout [Sami Mokbel, 7 November].
Although talkSPORT pundit Bent believes the Englishman’s Chelsea exit has stopped him getting a new job, he insists that he would like to see him back managing a Premier League club sooner rather than later.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Friday (8 November, 17:57) he said: “Do you, I’d have liked to have seen Potter go there.
“I’m a big fan of Potter even now. I know he’s not been in management for a while but I liked him at Brighton, I thought he did a good job at Chelsea although he got the sack quite early.
“I do think he’s a good coach, I like the way he conducts himself, he speaks well and the fact that he still hasn’t got a job, that can only be because of the whole payoff situation at Chelsea.
“I want to see him back in the dugout because I think he’s such a good coach, such a good coach.”
Will West Ham sack Julen Lopetegui amid London Stadium exit speculation?
It does seem strange that the Hammers didn’t move to appoint Potter when they parted ways with David Moyes this summer as he seemed like the perfect fit to lead the Irons into a new era.
The former Chelsea and Brighton boss plays a front foot, possession-based style of football that is about as far removed from Moyes as you can get, which is what fans were pining for over the course of last season.
Instead, Tim Steidten and the decision makers around him in East London have opted to hire a manager in Lopetegui that plays in a very similar way to Moyes and so far, it hasn’t been particularly successful.
Fortunately, Potter remains out of work currently and may still be available if the Irons want to revisit a move for the Englishman. With the England job now gone following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel, a move to East London could well appeal.
For now, however, Lopetegui remains in charge and could certainly do with a rare win against Everton on Saturday.
In other West Ham news, the Irons will be on red alert after a new Ademola Lookman transfer update emerged this season
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