West Ham ‘Madness’ mooted in new Julen Lopetegui sack verdict
Julen Lopetegui having just two matches to save his job at West Ham United is “utter madness”, Robbie Fowler has said.
Writing for the Daily Mirror (25 November), Fowler said that Lopetegui couldn’t have been expected to completely transform the Hammers within just a few months in charge at the London Stadium.
Lopetegui has won just three of his first 11 Premier League games in charge, and with matches against Newcastle United and Arsenal coming up, he could be on the verge of the sack.
Fowler said: “11 games into the season and the word is that the Spaniard now has Monday night’s trip to Newcastle and the home game against Arsenal on Saturday to save his job.
“We all know it’s utter madness for a new coach to be given just a quarter of the campaign to put his stamp on the club.
“Can Lopetegui really be expected to deliver a new playing style as well as results when the new coat of paint on his office walls is probably still wet?”
Julen Lopetegui needs to earn more time at West Ham United
While it’s true that Lopetegui’s ‘era’ at the London Stadium is only 11 league games old – and 13 in all competitions – a long time to turn things around is something rarely afforded to managers at this level.
Plenty of coaches – particularly those who’ve been given a more-than-healthy budget to spend in the transfer window – have been sacked in less time, and the pressure on Lopetegui comes as no surprise.
The Hammers are already moving to line up a replacement for the Spaniard should they decide to pull the trigger, despite Lopetegui being confident that his side should be judged much further down the line.
Lopetegui’s three league victories so far against Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Manchester United have been far from convincing, and finding another against Newcastle or Arsenal looks a long, long way off.
It remains to be seen just how long Lopetegui is given to reverse the slump his new-look side has clearly undergone since taking charge, but the likelihood is that it’s less time than the Spaniard is anticipating.
In other West Ham news, the ‘Academy of Football’ is losing its influence after a shocking Premier League statistic emerged.
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