David Sullivan has been backed into a corner over the West Ham managerial situation after Wolves sacked Gary O’Neil.
When West Ham played Wolves on Monday night it was billed ‘El Sackico’ with the jobs of both Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil on the line.
It was claimed the Hammers planned to sack Lopetegui is he didn’t beat his old club.
O’Neil could not afford to lose the game.
The former Hammers midfielder did, 2-1. But Wolves were extremely unfortunate not to at least draw and so, like Lopetegui, he survived another game.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have today pulled the trigger, though, announcing O’Neil has been sacked.
Meanwhile widespread reports from a number of well connected journalists claim Lopetegui won’t be far behind him if West Ham suffer a bad defeat at Bournemouth on Monday night.
When West Ham’s owners granted Lopetegui one last chance following the defeat at Leicester, he was told he must win each of the next four games.
So his job is very much still on the line.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' English head coach Gary O'Neil (R) reacts next to West Ham United's Spanish manager Julen Lopetegui during the English Pre...
Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Wolves sack O’Neil as pressure piles on West Ham chief Sullivan
Journalist Ben Jacobs claimed yesterday that the Hammers hierarchy have continued talks to line up a replacement.
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He stated Lopetegui is aware that is going on the background.
Tomas Soucek has confirmed that is the case, revealing the Hammers boss has spoken to his players about the fact his job is on the line at Bournemouth but insists he loves the pressure.
West Ham fans have been calling for Lopetegui’s head since the defeat at Leicester.
Many see no future in keeping him as manager and no merit in an isolated – and lucky – win over a woeful Wolves side.
Especially as the performance was arguably worse than the Hammers produced in the Leicester loss.
Reports have claimed West Ham only gave Lopetegui another chance to buy more time to line up a replacement.
Now the pressure has been piled on David Sullivan to act fast as Wolves plan talks with three top West Ham targets.
It has been claimed Graham Potter heads up a five-man Hammers shortlist to take over if and when Lopetegui is fired.
The major problem for West Ham is that Wolves are eyeing three of them and now have an active vacancy to fill.
Sergio Conceicao of FC Porto during the match between Sporting CP and FC Porto for the Portuguese Cup Final. Inset, Edin Terzic, Massimiliano Allegri and Graham Potter.
Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Wolves plan talks with three top West Ham targets
Four if you include David Moyes – although a third term has been ruled out despite the Scot making West Ham aware he’d be open to it last weekend.
According to The Athletic, Wolves have their own five-man shortlist with Moyes, and Niko Kovac on the list alongside three big Hammers candidates.
The report states that Potter, Max Allegri and Sergio Conceicao are the top three choices to replace O’Neil.
Ahead of the clash with Wolves, it was widely reported Potter – who is good friends with the husband of West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady – had agreed to replace Lopetegui on a deal until the end of the season.
Last weekend Allegri refused to deny talks with West Ham and quickly ducked out of an interview when asked about it.
Yesterday it was claimed Sullivan likes the idea of waiting until next summer to appoint Allegri after the Italian told the club that’s when he would take the job.
Conceicao is one of the preferred choices of technical director Tim Steidten and an influential agent behind the scenes at the London Stadium.
Hammers fans will be furious if rivals take target off the market
What has become a likely scenario is that Potter would take over until the end of the season.
Things would then be reviewed and if he moved on then Allegri would be lined up.
Wolves could put paid to those plans, though.
It’s claimed the trio have been on their five-man list since the November international break.
Now O’Neil is gone they can go and appoint one of them.
So it gives Sullivan and co a major decision to make.
If Wolves go out and take Potter and he does really well while West Ham continue this game-by-game purgatory, fans could revolt and the season might be wasted.
So ironically Wolves sacking O’Neil now turns up the heat on the owners and Lopetegui to get a performance and positive result at the Vitality.
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