Now we are told that another ‘must-win’ game appears on the horizon against Wolverhampton Wanderers next week. Despite [Lopetegui’s](https://www.claretandhugh.info/thrown-to-the-wolves/) failure to win a ‘must-win’ Everton fixture fixture before the international break. And losing the ‘must-win’ Leicester City game last week. And being thrashed by Arsenal the week before.
Quite clearly ‘must-win’ as you and I know it doesn’t mean ‘must-win’ to the West Ham Chairman.
More like _‘Hope Lopetegui does just enough to avoid the sack irrespective of the damage caused to the club, the fans and player morale in the meantime’._
It transpires that the ‘dressing room unrest’ which was played down by the club is actually a huge issue and Lopetegui clearly cannot ‘manage’ his squad. To fall out with one player – the first we heard about was Mohammed Kudus against Brentford – might be put down to Kudus’ frustrations and youthful impetuosity. But several? ‘Management failure’ written all over it.
To find that Jean-Clair Todibo has been banished from the squad and is training with the youngsters – a player who West Ham have on loan with an option to buy for about thirty million quid- is a warning that this head coach cannot lead his squad. Further ‘revelations’ and cryptic comments from Niclas Fullkrug point to criticism with Lopetegui’s systems and we hear also Edson Alvarez wants to leave if Lopetegui stays.
And under these dark clouds, Lopetegui continues to try and coach a squad that is fractured, clinging on to a job purely for the severance pay – whilst the West Ham board refuse to sack him presumably for the same issue. What kind of preparation will this depleted ‘squad’ be undertaking before the Wolves game.
Pretty poisonous, I’d say. All of which could have been avoided by sending the man on his way during the international break. Or at any stage in the last 3 days. And planning for a successor instead of scrabbling around frantically in the last 48 hours trying to find a replacement who will come for a cheap six month deal.
How many decent players will be on the phone to their agents demanding an exit? What hope for recruiting any half-decent players in January – or indeed, attracting a new head coach. Would anybody actually relish coming to this club which is riven by board disharmony, factions, leaks and misinformation?
Show some leadership at West Ham ‘United’ and end this dreadful situation.