High Stakes As Hammers is Playing A Dangerous Game
Bournemouth’s recent winning run could be extended to four games if they win their Monday night match at home to struggling West Ham United. The contrast between the two sides is marked: West Ham’s sporadic, spluttering form holds no comparison to The Cherries who have won their last three matches against Wolves, Spurs, and Ipswich, helping them rise them to eighth in the Premier League.
The Hammers sit 14th, any ambition of European places looking a long way off.
West Ham’s board of management appear to be playing a very dangerous game: Having spoken, it seems, to managerial candidates for Lopetegui’s role whilst he is still in situ, rumour has it that they have made a selection already but keep from committing to firing the unfortunate Lopetegui and actually installing his successor.
Instead, there is the public proclamation that each game is ‘must-win’ – as if that is going to make the slightest positive impact on the coach or the team: Increasing the jeopardy, in my opinion, can only encourage Lopetegui to walk.
Graham Potter appears to be the likely replacement: But other looming vacancies in both the Premier League and elsewhere in Europe could easily tempt Potter to listen to one of the other club Chairmen, no doubt on the phone to his agents whilst West Ham drag their feet: Wolves and Everton are the bookies’ favourites to be next in line to jettison their own head coaches.
How desperate would it be for West Ham to lose on Monday – or in the following ‘must win’ matches between now and Christmas, only to find Potter snapped up elsewhere. Indeed, footballinsider.com call West Ham’s plan ‘dangerous’.. “Because Potter is also at the top of the list for a lot of clubs due to his Premier League experience.” Nobody can say the board have not been warned.
