Before Slaven Bilic was sacked by West Ham he had laughed at a rival club’s president mocking David Sullivan but now he’s backing him.
West Ham have put their fans in an extremely uncomfortable position this week.
The vast majority of Hammers supporters have been calling for Julen Lopetegui to be sacked since the dreadful 3-1 defeat at Leicester.
The game was billed a “must-win” but was certainly a “must not lose”.
Yet West Ham’s board stuck by Lopetegui and gave him one last chance against Wolves, much to the bemusement of fans.
After investing £155m in nine new players the Hammers have arguably been the flops of the season so far.
Especially as those new signings added to some excellent players like Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.
It has not just been results that have been unacceptable, it’s the performances that have left Hammers fans scratching their heads.
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West Ham fans have no clue what their team is or what Lopetegui is trying to do.
Hammers fans still want Lopetegui sacked
There is no clear identity with the gameplan seemingly get it to Bowen and Kudus and hope for something special.
At the back West Ham are somehow just as bad if not worse than last season.
Lopetegui’s side give up shots on their goal like nobody’s business and have conceded the third most in the top flight this season – on course to match last term’s unwanted club Premier League record of 74.
Supporters are bored and find the team a very tough watch.
So do the owners.
West Ham’s board made it clear they expect big improvements after an unconvincing 2-1 win over Wolves.
The likes of well-connected journalist Jacob Steimberg claim Lopetegui is still on the brink.
Graham Potter has agreed to take over at West Ham on a six-month initial deal if and when Lopetegui is fired.
David Sullivan and Julen Lopetegui.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Sullivan finds unlikely ally in Bilic over West Ham decision
That will come on Monday night if high-flying Bournemouth expose Lopetegui and his tactics as many feel they might.
This is where West Ham have left fans conflicted.
David Sullivan’s failure to act when the Hammers lost to Leicester means some fans feel winning is self-defeating as it keeps Lopetegui in the job.
Now Sullivan has found an unlikely ally in Slaven Bilic over his West Ham decision but he’s got it all wrong.
It was the beginning of the end for Bilic at West Ham when he told the press he found it funny that Sullivan and former Hammers co-owner David Gold were referred to as the ‘Dildo Brothers’ by the president of Sporting in a row over the on-off transfer of William Carvalho.
Just over a month later he was gone.
Last week it was claimed Bilic warned Edin Terzic off working for Sullivan amid links to the man who was his assistant during the Croatian’s time as Hammers boss.
But now, with West Ham fans still adamant they want a change of manager, Bilic has explained why he feels Lopetegui needs more time.
However, in doing so he’s inadvertently highlighted exactly why his job should be on the line.
Bilic also incorrectly states Lopetegui has had no luck so far.
Slaven Bilic, manager of Watford, looks on during the Sky Bet Championship between Stoke City and Watford at Bet365 Stadium on October 02, 2022 in ...
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
‘Lopetegui needs time at West Ham’ says Bilic
And he misses a major point which is making the Spaniard’s position increasingly untenable.
“First came the new manager then a lot of new players, big players, came,” Bilic said on talkSPORT.
“They changed the centre-backs, they spent big money on centre-backs. Now the centre-backs they are ball-playing ones, so it’s not easy, it takes time for the new players to gel in London, West Ham, the West Ham way and all that.
“It takes time as a manager and you need a bit of luck.
“My start at West Ham our first three away games were Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. We won all three. It wasn’t only that we played good, we had that little bit of luck.
“They (West Ham under Lopetegui) didn’t have that little bit of luck.
“Yes it’s too soon (to judge)… everything needs time.”
Bilic then proceeds to inadvertently disprove his point by stating just how good West Ham are on paper, naming players who were already here and therefore don’t need ‘time to settle’.
“When you have Bowen, he’s got 15/20 goals in him, when you have Kudus – good, attractive player who also likes to assist and score goals – so when you see those players and you see (Lucas) Paqueta, it’s all there (and you’re thinking), this is the year, this is the year!”
Well if that’s the case Slaven then why aren’t we seeing any evidence of it?
West Ham United's Welsh Chairman David Sullivan takes his seat for the English Premier League football match between Southampton and West Ham Unite...
Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images
Bilic gets it so wrong with red herring Lopetegui take
The point about no luck is a complete red herring.
West Ham have won five Premier League games this season and were extremely fortunate in three of them – arguably four.
Palace and Man United should have been out of sight before the Hammers won those matches.
Wolves were the better team for large spells, missed two sitters, had two clear penalties turned down and West Ham got away with a blatant foul just before Bowen’s winner.
Although West Ham played well at Newcastle, there was an element of luck there too with the hosts missing numerous golden chances.
West Ham have also been the club least affected by injuries in the entire Premier League this season.
So this situation has nothing to do with bad luck.
Lopetegui is right where he should be, on the edge with everything to prove
What’s making Lopetegui’s position almost untenable is the constant stream of stories emerging from the club about serious bust-ups with players.
Paqueta and Jean-Clair Todibo are the latest with Lopetegui confirming the latter.
There was even a mutiny in the ranks with five top stars demanding to leave if Lopetegui stays.
Kudus then showed how little respect the manager commands when he shouted at him as he was subbed off against Wolves.
Bilic even admits Lopetegui was the wrong fit when he agrees with Simon Jordan that he’s not the attacking manager fans wanted.
So other than sticking up for the manager’s union, there’s little foundation to his claims Lopetegui deserves more time.
Beat Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton by showing some kind of identity and then West Ham fans might start thinking along those lines.
Until then Lopetegui’s neck should very much be on the line.
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