David Sullivan’s brutal response to Julen Lopetegui plea speaks volumes at West Ham. They say actions speak louder than words and if that’s true at West Ham then Julen Lopetegui could find himself in trouble.
The pressure is mounting on Julen Lopetegui once again at West Ham after the defeat at Spurs. Hope sprang eternal at West Ham over the summer. The Hammers showed ambition in the transfer market by spending 155m on nine new signings.
A new head coach was appointed with playing a better brand of football and getting back into Europe the key aims. Throw in the fact West Ham kept all their major stars at the club and fans were excited.
Fast forward three months and things are not panning out as many would have hoped or expected. Fans are underwhelmed and West Ham’s owners have already felt it necessary to give Lopetegui the dreaded vote of confidence.
Sullivan’s brutal response to Lopetegui plea speaks volumes
The 4-1 defeat at Spurs was described by the top spokesman inside the club as ‘a very bad day at the office’. It also saw a fresh round of speculation ignite over Lopetegui’s future in east London.
As revealed by Hammers News last month, the Spaniard was very much a David Sullivan appointment.
While the rest of the board and Tim Steidten signed off on the hire too, Sullivan was extremely impressed in interview and felt the ex Wolves man was the best man for the job, describing the Spaniard as ‘a real pro’.
Just three months in Lopetegui is effectively begging for his job.
Some fans may have missed it as they blocked out West Ham news in the wake of the Spurs drubbing. But Lopetegui urged the owners to judge him in May following the Tottenham game.
David Sullivan’s brutal response to that Lopetegui plea speaks volumes at West Ham.
Significance of Terzic leak should not be underestimated. After Lopetegui urged West Ham’s owners and fans to show patience with him and vowed to look at ways he can also improve, Sullivan was – allegedly – made a significant call.
The majority owner’s response was to put Edin Terzic on standby to take over unless results and performances improve. Whether it is by design or not that this news leaked out via a German journalist only time will tell.
But its significance should not be underestimated. Especially as it carries information that Edin Terzic is highly regarded in the West Ham boardroom.
If the club really, wholeheartedly believed in Lopetegui and the process, there would be no need for Terzic to be lined up as a back-up plan.
Perhaps Sullivan and co saw Lopetegui’s grovelling as weakness?
Or maybe former Hammers assistant Terzic now being open to a new job – having reportedly turned West Ham down in the summer – has changed the landscape given the team’s struggles so far?
West Ham almost always include a clause in the contracts of managers that they can be sacked if the team is in the relegation mix come the halfway stage of the season.
Making the call to put Terzic on standby in the hours after the incumbent manager has asked for time suggests the axe might swing before that if results do not drastically improve in the coming month or so.
The two-week November international break looms large on the horizon.
