West Ham’s owners have taken on the club’s fans and players by defying their wishes and sticking by Julen Lopetegui one last time.
Julen Lopetegui has only been at West Ham for six months.
But he has already survived the sack on three separate occasions.
A board meeting to decide Lopetegui’s fate has – according to the likes of The Daily Mail – proved inconclusive.
It isn’t so much that the board unanimously back Lopetegui but more a case of the various stakeholders failing to reach agreement about a replacement.
So Lopetegui will remain in charge of West Ham for the game against his old club Wolves on Monday night.
That will clearly be a must win match.
But whatever happens the Hammers have not heard the last of this.
Spineless West Ham are risking a player and fan revolt with their futile Lopetegui decision.
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When away fans turn on a manager it’s usually the beginning of the end for a reason.
General view outside the stadium prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Ipswich Town FC. Inset, David Sullivan, Daniel Kretinsky, Tim Steidten, and Julen Lopetegui.
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Spineless West Ham risk player and fan revolt
The away following is a club’s hardcore support – the most dedicated and loyal members of the fanbase.
They’re the ones who put in the hard yards over land and sea and – generally speaking over the years when it comes to West Ham – see a lot fewer wins.
West Ham’s away support is generally a lot more considered and patient. They’ve been conditioned to be throughout decades of losses and disappointment on the road.
The Hammers fans who attended the “must not lose” game at Leicester fully turned on Lopetegui.
When that happens, it is normally curtains at any club.
Not least a supposedly ambitious Premier League side looking to get back into Europe but who are instead languishing down in 14th place following one pathetic, shambolic defeat after another.
Most West Ham fans are in agreement – Lopetegui, or Flopetegui as many are now calling him, does not seem to have a clue what he is doing.
It’s a different starting XI every week, naive, nonsensical tactics like persisting with this ridiculous high line.
Lopetegui was initially praised for the fact he is willing to make changes at half-time in matches.
In one match he even subbed off Guido Rodriguez – a player he pushed hard for the club to sign – after just 30-odd minutes.
West Ham United's Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui reacts during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and West Ham Unite...
Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
West Ham decision to stick with Lopetegui is futile
After years of waiting until the 65th minute at the earliest for David Moyes to make changes, many felt it was a refreshing change.
Most have realised, though, that Lopetegui is only having to make changes at half-time every week because he keeps getting it completely wrong from the start.
Players look confused and unmotivated.
A steady stream of reports of unrest in the dressing room – and the highly detailed nature of those accounts – suggests there’s no smoke without fire.
Two players worth £66m have told the club they want to leave if Lopetegui stays.
Lopetegui accused Mohammed Kudus of not being a team player and wonders why he’s not respected. Only one player – defensive midfielder Bruno Guimaraes – won the ball back for his team more times than Kudus last season. In the entire Premier League. Only nine players were ahead of the star boy this term as well until his five-game ban.
Fans are demanding the manager is sacked.
All the evidence is there to show this failed experiment cannot go on.
Yet here we are being told yet again that Lopetegui is getting another game to save his bacon.
But this is where the board are seriously risking the wrath of West Ham fans and players alike.
So if Lopetegui beats Wolves what then? He suddenly becomes the right man for the job?
What on earth would a win at home against the worst side in the Premier League prove?
Absolutely nothing.
Wolves are so bad I could probably get 10 mates together to give them a decent game.
Are we seriously going to measure whether a manager is fit for the job based on the result of a home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers?
David Sullivan and Julen Lopetegui.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Hammers win over woeful Wolves will prove nothing
Hammers fans know their team won’t be getting anything against free-flowing Bournemouth and Brighton even if they do beat Wolves.
The decision to stick by Lopetegui beggars belief. Fans are absolutely furious at the news from the London Stadium today. One look at social media will prove that.
The ownership need to be very careful here. Supporters are already imploring one another to boycott the game in protest.
Not only will that hit the owners in their pockets but the optics won’t be great with the game live on Monday Night Football.
That also gives pundits like Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher more air time to tear into the club’s decision making and structure – as they did when the Hammers were last on it, just 10 days ago.
Of course players, owners and technical director Tim Steidten must take their share of the blame too in all of this.
The owners may think backing the manager shows loyalty and is the noble thing to do.
If there were clear signs of what Lopetegui is trying to achieve and some evidence of green shoots then that might be the case.
But there isn’t. At all.
So in reality this is a cowardly call on behalf of the ownership and one that absolutely reeks of a lack of ambition.
It’s also extremely brave given the strength of feeling among players and fans.
That potent mix of discontent will continue to manifest itself until a change is made.
Things are threatening to turn toxic again at West Ham.
The owners had a perfect opportunity to diffuse a ticking time bomb today.
Instead they’ve closed the door and walked away.
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