Julen Lopetegui told what he must do to avoid December sack at West Ham United
Andy Goldstein believes Julen Lopetegui needs to get five points minimum from the upcoming West Ham United fixtures to remain at the helm.
To the surprise of many, the Spaniard retained his position in East London following the 0-0 draw against Everton.
However, the Hammers board held “internal talks” regarding potential replacements throughout the international break [The Guardian].
When discussing Lopetegui’s future with co-host Darren Bent live on talkSPORT [22 November, 4:42pm], Goldstein said he believes the West Ham boss can avoid being dismissed if he can keep his side above the relegation zone heading into the Christmas period.
He said: “I sort of feel there’s a run of five games. I don’t necessarily expect them to get anything out of the first two – Newcastle and Arsenal – but after that, with nine points on offer, Leicester, Wolves and Bournemouth, they’ve got to be looking at five [points], maybe even six.”
Julen Lopetegui has a chance of survival at West Ham United
The Spaniard’s troubles at West Ham have become a hot topic for discussion throughout the campaign, but Goldstein’s offer of hope could very well be short-lived.
As per the report in The Guardian [20 November], the clashes against Newcastle United and Arsenal will be make-or-break for Lopetegui – his role at the Hammers will be terminated if he loses both fixtures.
Any hope of reaching the more manageable fixtures against relegation strugglers Leicester and Wolves looks bleak, considering Newcastle will welcome the return of Callum Wilson heading into the match on Monday [25 November] – he has scored 12 goals in his previous 14 appearances against the Irons.
However, David Sullivan is eager to avoid the “hefty payoff” it would take to end Lopetegui’s employment [BBC Sport], and he could be allowed further opportunity, albeit undeservedly, to continue his fight for survival in East London heading into December.
West Ham supporters have been left bewildered amid all the conflicting reports on the future of their beloved club, and it seems the ongoing charade will continue heading towards the New Year until finally, a decision is made either way.
Regardless, the Hammers are indeed exploring their options; perhaps the fact that the board are willing to undergo extensive due diligence on potential appointments is a positive sign that Sullivan is unwilling to replicate his previous mistake in hiring Lopetegui in the first place.
Lopetegui’s future is proving to be the Premier League’s never-ending saga, and whether the figurehead of West Ham heading into the second half of the campaign is Lopetegui, Sebastian Hoeness or Edin Terzic, who knows, but change is undoubtedly on the horizon in East London, one way or the other.
In other West Ham news, Julen Lopetegui has cost the Irons in the transfer race for a ‘history maker’ signing.
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