West Ham United told to ‘get’ Graham Potter in new Julen Lopetegui sack verdict
Darren Bent has told West Ham United to “get” Graham Potter if they decide to sack Julen Lopetegui at the London Stadium.
The former Real Madrid manager has come under pressure after the Irons’ 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday (2 November), with reports suggesting results need to improve for him to avoid the sack [The Times, 3 November].
While it isn’t yet clear if or when the Irons could part ways with the Spaniard, talkSPORT pundit Bent believes former Chelsea boss Potter would be the right fit, admitting he doesn’t understand why he hasn’t found a new job.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday (4 November, 17:40) he said: “Where’s Graham Potter at?
“Get Potter. If you don’t want Lopetegui and you want a progressive manager, someone who plays football the right way.
“I don’t understand why Potter hasn’t got a job yet. Was he waiting for England?”
Will West Ham sack Julen Lopetegui amid London Stadium exit speculation?
On the face of it, Potter appears to have everything that West Ham supporters wanted in a David Moyes replacement initially.
The former Brighton boss plays a progressive, attacking brand of football that gets fans out of their seats, he is from a younger generation of managers and he has managed one of the big six Premier League clubs.
For whatever reason, he didn’t get the job in the summer when the decision was made to part ways with Moyes. If the Hammers follow Bent’s advice, they could rectify that mistake before too much damage is done in East London.
Lopetegui may well turn things around if he is given time, but the initial signs suggest that he simply isn’t capable of doing that. Results have been poor in the opening months of the season, but the performances have somehow been worse.
The decision-makers at the London Stadium have some big decisions to make over the next few weeks, but it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see a change in the dugout sooner rather than later.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have pinpointed a Premier League forward as their new primary striker target
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