Michail Antonio ceasefire off as leak states big name West Ham trio still want Julen Lopetegui gone. A host of key West Ham stars still want Julen Lopetegui sacked as preparations get underway for the latest crunch game against Bournemouth.
That’s according to sources reportedly leaking news from inside West Ham. Julen Lopetegui was handed a reprieve by West Ham’s owners when fans called for his head after the defeat to Leicester last week.
The owners said they felt that ‘morally’ it was the right thing to do. The Spaniard was left under no illusions only a win would do against Wolves.
He got it, just, but the performance did not impress fans or the Hammers hierarchy. Ahead of the game, a host of stories emerged from the club about a number of incidents and players.
Antonio incident dampened noise of West Ham mutiny
Detailed leaks continue to emerge from the dressing room and training ground, painting an alarming picture of a squad lacking in any harmony, spirit or respect for the manager. It was not the first time by any stretch of the imagination. Claims of unrest in the ranks have followed Lopetegui’s West Ham tenure like a bad smell.
The 58-year-old had a big fall-out with star player Mohammed Kudus at Brentford.
Jarrod Bowen had to intervene as £32m summer signing Jean-Clair Todibo allegedly swung for Lopetegui during a disagreement at half-time of the shambolic 5-2 defeat to Arsenal.
The Hammers boss has since admitted there was indeed an incident between him and Todibo but described it as ‘nothing important’.
A high-level Hammers club source claims fans have been lied to about chaos behind the scenes at West Ham.
Ceasefire off as big name trio still want Lopetegui gone. A mutiny was building in the ranks before Michail Antonio’s horrific car crash dampened the noise.
The Antonio incident saw West Ham’s players rally together – as you would expect in such a terrible situation.
Bowen said after the win over Wolves that the players very much did it for their stricken teammate, who faces at least a year out and possible enforced retirement.
As West Ham’s board met to decide Lopetegui’s future last Thursday, momentum had been building regarding claims from sources that several key players would demand out of West Ham if Lopetegui was not sacked.
The Athletic’s West Ham reporter Roshane Thomas then suggested “mind-blowing stuff” going on behind the scenes will be revealed when Lopetegui departs.
Thomas even stated the “the gloves will be off” when that time comes.
But Antonio’s car crash put football into perspective and helped inspire West Ham’s players to the win that kept Lopetegui in the job.
Any goodwill around that awful incident has quickly dissipated, though. The Antonio ceasefire is off as a new leak states a big name West Ham trio still want Lopetegui gone. Hammers board not happy about unrest between stars and boss
In an exclusive report, sources have told Give Me Sport that members of the hierarchy are fearful that Todibo, Kudus and Niclas Fullkrug could all make good on their threats to leave if Lopetegui remains at the Hammers helm.
The sources claim all three have developed a difficult relationship with the manager during the early months of the season.
West Ham’s hierarchy is not happy about the situation at all according to the sources.
And they’ve made the manager aware of that fact ahead of West Ham returning to training after two days off on Thursday.
The problem Lopetegui has is that press reports and leaks are one thing and can be played down or denied.
Public displays of dissent can’t be. And there have been plenty of them. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Guido Rodriguez, Edson Alvarez and Paqueta have all showed dissent towards the boss when being substituted.
Kudus showed a distinct lack of respect for Lopetegui as he too ranted at the Hammers boss when subbed off against Wolves.
Jeff Stelling reckons he saw evidence of problems between Lopetegui and the club’s record signing Paqueta against Wolves as well.
If Lopetegui thought the Antonio situation might be a catalyst for the team to rally together and buy him more time, it seems – according to these sources – he is sorely mistaken.
And a journalist has claimed West Ham’s game at Bournemouth is now massive for the manager.
