Jeff Stelling hits out at West Ham United fan live on talkSPORT as Julen Lopetegui call made
Jeff Stelling has hit out after a West Ham fan asked for Julen Lopetegui to be sacked after it was reported he would be replacing David Moyes on Monday (6 May).
The club announced via its official website [6 May] that the Scot would be parting ways with the Hammers when his contract expires at the end of the season, with heavy pressure mounting on his tenure.
Earlier in the day, Fabrizio Romano reported that former Wolves boss Lopetegui had already agreed terms with the Irons to replace Moyes, though no contracts had been signed as of yet.
In response to the news, one West Ham fan claimed that Lopetegui’s appointment did not convince him and that he should already be sacked from his role.
Speaking live via talkSPORT on Tuesday (7 May, 6:41am), Stelling replied: “You are taking the mickey, aren’t you? He’s been appointed for less than 24 hours and we have the first call for ‘Lopetegui out’.”
Stelling was joined by Ally McCoist in a fit of laughter, saying: “We love an irate West Ham, don’t we? You can’t beat them.”
Is Julen Lopetegui the right fit for West Ham United?
Considering the Spaniard’s managerial CV, working with Wolves, Real Madrid, Sevilla and the Spain national team, Lopetegui is a very experienced option to bring back to the Premier League.
Having quit Molineux Stadium just three days before the 2023/24 campaign kicked off, he will feel the need to prove himself at the highest level and take West Ham further up the league table.
Lopetegui produced wonders in his limited time in the Midlands, having taken Wolves from the bottom of the Premier League to 13th place, though there appeared to be a fallout over transfers during the summer.
If he is able to bring in the players to suit his style of football, the Hammers could certainly build a strong squad and continue to compete in Europe. Some fans are not convinced, however.
While some are impressed by his managerial record, others were keen to explore different alternatives, with the club also linked to Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim and former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick.
Moyes has certainly left his successor a lot to live up to, having lifted the Europa Conference League trophy last season, and deserves a special send-off at the London Stadium on Saturday 11 May.
In other West Ham news, new manager links have been branded “embarrassing”.
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