Simon Jordan issues West Ham United sack admission on Julen Lopetegui
Simon Jordan believes West Ham will sack Julen Lopetegui instantaneously if he cannot achieve a decent style of football.
The talkSPORT host believes that the Hammers were already competitive under David Moyes so they would want something extraordinary from Lopetegui.
He also believes that his stint at Real Madrid does not really elevate his standing as a manager.
He said, as quoted by Hammers News on 26 May: “Let’s hope it’s (the West Ham job) to his liking!
“I don’t know (what to make of the appointment). He is someone who has managed big clubs, he’s someone that comes with a perception of him that you’re going to achieve big things.
“We’ll see, he’s got lots to say for himself about what he thinks he’s entitled to and what he thinks he should get.
“He took the Real Madrid job and people look at that and go ‘well you don’t get the Real Madrid job for nothing’. Well he got it for nothing because he lasted 14 games. With that in mind we’ll see if the reputation and perception of this manager manifests itself in an outcome.
“So they (West Ham’s owners) must have matched his outlay, his history, his interview with the perception of what they want.
“And so surely we’re going to see a very offensively minded, easy on the eye, beautifully balanced West Ham United side next year. And if we don’t then he should be fired instantaneously!"
West Ham must back Julen Lopetegui
Jordan's criticism of Lopetegui seems overly harsh as it's unrealistic to expect a manager to completely transform a team's style of play in such a short period.
Building a new system takes time, and it's unfair to expect instant results.
Secondly, Lopetegui's past experiences, including his brief stint at Real Madrid, should not be the sole basis for judgment.
His successes at other clubs, such as Sevilla, where he won the Europa League, demonstrate his capabilities as a manager.
Lastly, Jordan's comments about firing Lopetegui "instantaneously" if he doesn't achieve a "beautifully balanced" style of play seem excessively demanding and do not take into account the complexities of managing a football team.
Right now, the board need to focus on backing the manager and ensuring he can take the team to the next level.
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