Graham Potter was the “top choice” to succeed Julen Lopetegui if West Ham had lost to Wolves last week, according to the Daily Mail reporter Sami Mokbel.
The journalist, who has a reputation for being reliable, claims that the former Chelsea head coach had been the “leading contender” for the job and he may still get the chance to take up the position if the Hammers lose on Monday night.
Lopetegui is hanging onto his position at the London Stadium and there is a general feeling that the Spaniard needs to put together a good run of results if he is to remain in his post.
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West Ham take on Bournemouth in their next fixture and the Cherries have a very strong home record this season, having taken some big scalps, including Manchester City and Arsenal. If the Irons do suffer a defeat, Potter may yet get the job.
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Funnily enough, the man in the opposing dugout on Monday, Andoni Iraola, has been touted as a potential alternative to Potter. The 42-year-old guided his team to a 12th-place finish during his first season in charge at the Vitality Stadium.
Heading into this weekend’s fixtures, Iraola’s side are sitting in 8th in the table, six points points ahead of the Hammers. Other names, including Roger Schmidt, Kasper Hjulmand, Michael Carrick, Max Allegri and Sergio Conceicao, have been touted as well.
Lopetegui has lost the the players and the fans
Amid reports that the Irons boss has failed to gain the respect of the first-team squad, having fallen out with several players already, it’s hard to see how he can turn the situation around.
Without the dressing room and supporters buying into his project, it does seem like it is only a matter of time before he is sacked.
Find out who is in West Ham’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here