Julen Lopetegui sack problem emerges at West Ham United ahead of clash v Everton
The lack of potential replacements for Julen Lopetegui could be an issue for West Ham United, according to Jacob Steinberg.
The Guardian journalist reported on Wednesday (6 November) that the Irons are set to review the Spaniard’s position at the London Stadium if they fail to beat Everton on Saturday (9 November).
While another defeat will see the Irons line up potential candidates to take over the reins, the lack of obvious replacements for the former Real Madrid boss could pose an immediate problem in East London.
The Hammers are understood to already have a list of prospective successors [The Guardian, 6 November] but they have previously only been “lukewarm” on Graham Potter who has been touted as the next Irons boss.
Will West Ham sack Julen Lopetegui amid London Stadium exit speculation?
It is easy to suggest West Ham should just part ways with Lopetegui regardless of what happens against Everton because of the Irons’ difficult start to the season, but it is nowhere near that simple a decision to make.
The Hammers will need to appoint a replacement that they genuinely believe can get more out of this current group of players than Lopetegui and while that seems easy enough on paper, the options available are limited.
This is the exact same problem that Tim Steidten and the team around him encountered in the summer. The manager market is pretty bare at the moment and it is very difficult to secure a genuine top-quality coach unless you can poach them from another club.
A defeat against Everton would push the Hammers into a genuine relegation battle and that is exactly why they cannot afford to get this appointment wrong if they do decide to part ways with Lopetegui.
Hopefully, the former Real Madrid boss will find a way to claim all three points against the Toffees so that he can at least survive beyond the international break.
If nothing else, the extra time may allow more potential candidates to become available.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have pinpointed a Premier League forward as their new primary striker target
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.