Michael Carrick could replace Julen Lopetegui in West Ham manager twist
Tony Cascarino believes Michael Carrick would be an “obvious choice” to replace Julen Lopetegui as manager of West Ham United.
The Spaniard has found himself under plenty of scrutiny this term after the performances his team have put in and the fact that they find themselves 14th in the Premier League table.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (24 November, 07:40am), Cascarino shared why he thinks ex-Irons midfielder Carrick would be a smart option for the Hammers to explore.
“Michael Carrick is getting a mention [for the West Ham job] isn’t he quite often,” he said.
“West Ham fans, I think the owner is always trying to appease them with the sort of manager that would fit the bill and Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough have been flying.
“They’re the top goal scorers in the Championship at the moment and they are lying fifth in the Championship.
“There’s been a bit of a turnaround there, and so, he’d be an obvious candidate for someone like West Ham because the fans would certainly embrace one of their players that they had many moons ago and bring a style of football that West Ham fans so dearly want.”
Why Michael Carrick would be a smart hire from West Ham
It’s clear to see that Lopetegui’s London Stadium stint has been far from smooth sailing. The Spaniard was brought in to try and get the team away from the tactics of David Moyes, but in reality, things have felt worse.
Last season, the Scotsman managed to lead the team to a ninth-place finish despite having the fourth-worst defensive record in the league.
This term, it’s, at times, been worse in both attack and defence and the Hammers have left an awful lot to be desired in most of their games.
Carrick has had two solid seasons as Middlesbrough’s manager and his attacking style of play is exactly what Hammers fans have been craving.
They’ve got plenty of talent within their ranks, such as Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, who would more than benefit from the Englishman’s style of play, and his arrival would add a fresh perspective and give the mood in the club a boost.
Only time will tell what the future holds for the Hammers but they could certainly do far worse than bringing in Carrick.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have been told when Sunderland could sanction a transfer for Jobe Bellingham.
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