Julen Lopetegui to be next Premier League manager sacked as West Ham United exit mooted
Chris Sutton has backed Julen Lopetegui to be the next Premier League manager sacked as a West Ham United exit has been mooted.
The Hammers’ miserable start to the Premier League season continued with a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday (2 November) to increase the pressure on the Irons’ boss.
Reports suggest Lopetegui could be sacked by the Hammers if results don’t improve at the London Stadium [The Times, 3 November] and BBC Sport pundit Sutton believes his tenure may not last much longer in the capital.
Speaking on It’s All Kicking Off (4 November, 22:43) he said: “Do you know who I think and you’re going to laugh at me.
“I was thinking Gary O’Neil because they’ve got some winnable games, but I think Lopetegui might be the one, just because they got another thumping at the weekend at Nottingham Forest.
“He’s not getting a tune out of the players and I know they beat Manchester United but they were very very lucky to beat them, very lucky and something is not right at West Ham.
“I just wonder if he will be the first, or the next [to be sacked] sorry.”
Will Julen Lopetegui exit West Ham amid London Stadium sack speculation?
While the decision to part ways with David Moyes this summer was the right one, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the Irons were wrong to replace the Scotsman with Lopetegui.
The former Real Madrid manager has looked all at sea at the London Stadium so far, with the only real glimmer of quality in his tenure being the comprehensive win over Ipswich Town before the October international break.
Barring that win, West Ham have looked off of the pace and unconvincing, even when they have managed to win matches. While some of the blame always has to lie with the players, the buck will always stop with the manager.
David Sullivan and the team around him in East London have always been reluctant to make unnecessary changes in the dugout, but they will not be afraid to pull the trigger if Lopetegui’s position becomes untenable.
It wouldn’t be a shock if Sutton’s prediction came true and Lopetegui was the next manager to be given his marching orders in the Premier League.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have pinpointed a Premier League forward as their new primary striker target
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