West Ham urged to sack Julen Lopetegui and hire ex-Chelsea manager

West Ham United legend Tony Cottee has called for the club to sack manager Julen Lopetegui and replace him with former Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
West Ham’s 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday has intensified the pressure on Lopetegui, with the Hammers currently sitting in 13th place in the Premier League table.
Cottee believes that a change is needed at the London Stadium and that Potter would be the ideal candidate to take over.
“What are the board waiting for?” Cottee posted on X. “A 5-0 drubbing at [Man] City and [to get] knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa?!
“Get Graham Potter in now and give him a chance to save the season and work in the Jan window… Yesterday was dreadful and something has to change. Our fans deserve so much better.”
Lopetegui admitted after the Liverpool defeat that West Ham “did not compete as we were thinking too today or as the opponent Liverpool demands.”
“Today has been a tough day for us,” he said. “We have played against one of the best teams in the world in this current moment, but it is true that we have to do much better.”
West Ham’s next game is against Premier League champions Manchester City, followed by an FA Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa.
The pressure is mounting on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui after a string of disappointing results, including a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. Club legend Tony Cottee has publicly called for Lopetegui’s dismissal and advocated for the appointment of former Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
Cottee’s plea reflects the growing discontent among West Ham fans, who have witnessed a concerning decline in the team’s performance since Lopetegui took over. The Hammers are currently languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, a far cry from the ambitions they had at the start of the season.
Lopetegui, a seasoned manager with experience at top clubs like Real Madrid and Sevilla, has struggled to find his footing at West Ham. The team has lacked consistency and has been plagued by defensive frailties, conceding goals at an alarming rate.
The 5-0 defeat to Liverpool was a particularly damning blow, exposing the team’s vulnerabilities and highlighting the growing disconnect between the players and the manager. Lopetegui’s post-match comments, while acknowledging the team’s shortcomings, did little to quell the growing unrest among the fans.
Cottee’s suggestion of appointing Graham Potter has sparked debate among supporters. Potter, despite his mixed spell at Chelsea, has a proven track record of developing young talent and implementing an attractive style of play during his time at Brighton. However, some argue that Potter’s recent struggles at Chelsea should be a cause for concern.
The coming weeks will be crucial for Lopetegui and West Ham. The team faces a daunting fixture list, including a trip to Manchester City and an FA Cup clash with Aston Villa. These matches will serve as a litmus test for Lopetegui’s ability to turn things around and restore confidence within the squad.
If results continue to deteriorate, the pressure on Lopetegui will only intensify, and the club may be forced to make a difficult decision regarding his future. The possibility of appointing Potter, or another high-profile manager, cannot be ruled out, especially if the team’s performances fail to improve.
The situation at West Ham is a stark reminder of the precarious nature of managerial positions in modern football. Even experienced managers can find themselves under intense scrutiny if results fail to meet expectations. The club’s hierarchy will need to make a decisive decision regarding Lopetegui’s future, weighing the potential benefits of a managerial change against the risks of disrupting the team’s progress.