Jason Cundy shares Julen Lopetegui fear amid new West Ham United sack verdict
Jason Cundy does not expect West Ham United to get anything out of their games against Newcastle and Arsenal after a new Julen Lopetegui sack verdict was dropped.
The Spaniard is facing make-or-break games against Newcastle and Arsenal on 25 and 30 November respectively after the Irons held talks over sacking him [The Guardian].
Cundy, though, reckons it is unrealistic to expect results in those two matches, but stressed the need for Lopetegui to string an unbeaten run in the following fixtures against Leicester, Wolves and Bournemouth.
The pundit fears the former Sevilla boss will not survive the sack if the Hammers do not pick up seven points in those games, especially with the hunt for a new manager underway.
“We’re quick to judge in football, but the reality is the next two games you’re probably not going to get anything out”, Cundy said on talkSPORT [21 November].
“Then, you’re looking at the table and only 13 games in, three games after that you’ve got to pick up, you’ve got to pick two victories and a draw alright?
“I kind of fear that if those results don’t happen, games you should [win] or are very winnable, I fear for him a little bit now.
“Once these rumours start circulating that they’re looking for a new manager, more often than not, it ends up [in a sack].”
Jason Cundy shares Julen Lopetegui fear amid West Ham United sack verdict
It is no surprise that Lopetegui is under increasing pressure at the London Stadium as the Irons sit just five points above the relegation zone in the table at fourteenth.
Having only taken over the reins in the summer, he is contracted to the East London outfit until 2026 [BBC] and that may be why David Sullivan has been reluctant to sack him so far.
Lopetegui, though, is quickly running out of time to turn things around, with Edin Terzic mooted as a potential replacement for him.
Terzic has been without a club since leaving Borussia Dortmund in the summer and is reportedly prioritising a move to the Premier League [Sami Mokbel].
It now remains to be seen if Lopetegui can pull a rabbit out of the hat in the Hammers’ upcoming games against Newcastle and Arsenal.
As evidenced by Cundy’s comments, no one seems to be giving the 58-year-old a chance in those two matches and there is not a better opportunity for him to prove his doubters wrong than this.
In other West Ham news, this Irons target has a preference for his next destination ahead of the January transfer window.
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