“West Ham Simply Reek Of Bad Judgement”| Steidten Gets Both Barrels. In the midst of this crisis at London Stadium and amongst reports, rumours, and rhetoric, occasionally an article stands out as being balanced and well considered, unlike the predicament in which the West Ham board of directors have left Lopetgui dangling.
‘Must-win’ games follow one another in quick succession whilst the board actively undermine their appointed head coach to offer jobs to potential successors.
Today’s dailymail.co.uk runs an article entitled:“What insiders say Julen Lopetegui’s situation is really like at West Ham – and why he isn’t the only one who should be questioned”.
The article goes on to insist that “there are still some at the club who have nice things to say about Julen Lopetegui.”
Reading on, the thrust is clear where author Riath Al-Samarrai believes the blame lies: “To watch West Ham this season is to be in no doubt that their failures should be apportioned as much to the figure who oversaw £125million in summer spending as it is to Lopetegui.”
Indeed, succinctly he adds that Steidten:” has helped supply a defence that conceded three or more on seven occasions this season, across league and cup. A midfield with no pace. An attack with three men aged over 30, serving within a wider squad where no fewer than 10 players who fall in the same age bracket and rank as the oldest collective in the Premier League this season.
“They are the opposite of Chelsea, who, for all their sins, bet on the future and are enjoying the here and now. West Ham simply reek of bad judgement. Of a mess that will require an expensive fix”.
That’s less on Lopetegui and more on Steidten. He is the director of this shambles. A man who was never knowingly shy in posing alongside the signings he picked, such as Luis Guilherme (£25m, 11 minutes of playing time) and Niclas Fullkrug (£27m, 31 years old, shredded by injuries since his arrival), but has gone curiously quiet since.
Lopetegui would therefore be in the right to question if he should be absorbing the flak alone. He could also make an argument that 14 league games is hardly a fair crack of the whip.
And I’m not going to argue with that: Lopetegui may be the whipping boy who will carry the can this time around for this seasons’s failings.
Next Summer, Steidten’s head will be on the block if the situation hasn’t improved
