Tony Cottee rages at West Ham United board as Julen Lopetegui deal agreed as David Moyes replacement. West Ham legend Tony Cottee has erupted at the club’s board after it emerged a deal has been agreed with Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes.
The Spaniard is set to join as head coach this summer, with the club officially announcing Moyes’ departure at the end of the season on Monday 6 May.
Writing on his personal X account (6 May), the former Hammers striker took aim at the board for an “uninspired” choice of new manager and criticised the club for not looking at young, British managers to take the club forward into the future.
“My suspicions appear correct and if it’s true, what a totally and utterly uninspired choice of new manager in my opinion,” he wrote.
“Although why are we surprised, the board have already given us Avram Grant and Manuel Pellegrini.
“With a massive summer ahead, in terms of squad rebuilding an ageing team, why would you not look at a dynamic, young, British manager to piece it all together?
“[Michael] Carrick, [Gary] O’Neil, [Kieran] McKenna and [Graham] Potter not even mentioned. What a joke! A very fed up [Hammer].”
Tony Cottee jumping the gun by aiming at West Ham United?
Everyone just needs to take a deep breath and think before they speak right now, because people seem to be reacting to this news with their heart rather than their head.
Moyes has done a great job at West Ham in his five years, but the time is right for him to move on and a new direction needs to be looked at. But replacing him won’t be easy and it needs to be someone with experience and pedigree to take the club where they want to go.
Cottee mentioned Carrick, O’Neil, McKenna and Potter as potential options but three of those are still in a job and the other has never managed in European competition before.
2/2 – With a massive Summer ahead, in terms of squad rebuilding an ageing team, why would u not look at a dynamic young British Manager to piece it all together ? Carrick, O’Neill, McKenna & Potter not even mentioned …
What a joke !
A very fed up ⚒⚒⚒
— Tony Cottee (@TonyCottee9) May 6, 2024
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Carrick has had a good time at Middlesbrough but has hardly ripped up any trees. McKenna has just won promotion, so why would he look to move into such a pressurized situation? O’Neil is settled at Wolves and had great success there.
Lopetegui is a European cup winner with Sevilla, had great success with Porto before that and made Spain favourites for a major tournament before agreeing a move to Real Madrid and derailing it.
Ultimately, on paper, the Spaniard is a good appointment and nobody should be getting on his back before he’s even signed a contract.
In other West Ham news, one BBC Sport pundit has bashed the Hammers for their treatment of Moyes.
