Graham Potter snub to pile massive pressure on at West Ham
Graham Potter would be under immediate pressure at West Ham United if the club appoint him to succeed Julen Lopetegui.
Potter is high on the Hammers’ wanted list with Lopetegui’s future hanging by a thread, and the board already having held talks with the former Chelsea boss.
Tim Steidten appointed Lopetegui last summer with a view to progressing back towards European football, spending over £100million in the transfer market, but the Spaniard has failed in his mission so far and the Hammers consequently sit 14th in the Premier League.
Everton are in a similar situation and are reportedly considering Potter as a replacement for the under-pressure Sean Dyche, as the entire saga becomes very publicised.
Jamie Carragher (via Sky Sports, 6 January) claimed that despite his view that Everton are a “bigger club” than West Ham, Potter would prefer a move to the London Stadium for the ‘certainty’ of remaining in the top flight.
Graham Potter pressure to be higher at West Ham than Everton
To compare the two prospective routes to a return to the Premier League for Potter, West Ham’s expectations are undoubtedly more demanding than those of Everton this season.
In the longer term, of course, both clubs are looking for a way back onto the European stage, and will both be playing their football in high-tech arenas designed for the world’s elite.
However, right now, Everton must focus purely on survival – which is potentially a reason to keep hold of Dyche until the summer, a man who has achieved just that twice on the bounce.
Conversely, at the London Stadium, fans had seldom been more excited than ahead of the dawn of this campaign, with the standard of players being brought into the building and the capital invested in recruitment. However, under Lopetegui – deemed a sideways or even backward move from David Moyes – performances have at times been dire.
Potter will know that to join the ongoing project in East London, he must hit the ground running and get a tune out of players who were brought in for large sums, but are seemingly in desperate need of someone to provide some clarity on how to move forward.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are on the charge to secure a highly-rated young striker.
For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.