Julen Lopetegui continues to hang on by a thread at West Ham and faces yet another must-win game at Southampton.
After being given a final chance to save his job after the shambolic defeats to Arsenal and Leicester, Julen Lopetegui has flattered to deceive.
West Ham may be unbeaten in three but the club’s owners set him the task of winning each of the next four games starting with Wolves.
The Hammers were hugely fortunate to beat Wolves 2-1, getting three huge VAR decisions controversially in their favour.
A very debateable penalty gave West Ham a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. And there was frustration the team did not hold on for all three points after taking an 87th minute lead.
Brighton could and should have won another 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.
The Seagulls hadn’t won in four but spurned a series of golden late chances – including a contender for miss of the season.
Fans jeered the team off and are growing increasingly impatient with the lack of excitement, identity and progress under Lopetegui.
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The Spaniard has earned praise for the way he has handled himself following the death of his father this week.
But Hammers fans are far from convinced he is the manager to lead them forwards.
A dismal five Premier League wins from 17 have left West Ham 14th in the table with little to no hope of qualifying for Europe now.
The Spaniard’s team selections and tactics continue to baffle and frustrate supporters.
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
Lopetegui faces yet another must-win to remain West Ham boss
Fans have left early in half of West Ham’s matches under Lopetegui.
Privately the club are concerned about the Hammers filling the stadium if they go through the second half of the season with little to play for and a lack of excitement among supporters.
West Ham’s owners have told Lopetegui Southampton is a must-win.
They have also made it clear the team simply must start playing better.
The world and its wife knows Lopetegui was on the brink after Leicester as fans called for his head.
A host of managers were linked as potential replacements.
It was claimed majority owner David Sullivan is only prepared to offer any candidates a six-month deal which will be reviewed in the summer depending on how it pans out.
Just before the Wolves clash it was reported Graham Potter had agreed to those West Ham terms.
Potter, who is very close friends with the husband of vice-chair Karren Brady, has been on standby ever since.
Julen Lopetegui, Manager of West Ham United, looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Brighton & Hove Albion F...
Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images
Who Sullivan was pictured with is ominous for Lopetegui
Clearly a manager of Potter’s credentials won’t wait forever.
With the Boxing Day clash at Southampton now an absolutely non-negotiable must-win, the heat is on once again.
With that in mind, who Sullivan was pictured watching West Ham with is ominous for Lopetegui.
After the Leicester defeat, a journalist source close to the situation told Hammers News there was a board split over various potential replacements for the Spaniard.
It was claimed technical director Tim Steidten wanted compatriots Edin Terzic or Roger Schmidt.
Vice-chairman Brady was pushing hard for Potter – who has been close with her husband – and the ex Chelsea manager’s former teammate – Paul Peschisolido.
Two unnamed agents described as “influential” figures in West Ham’s decision-making were also pushing foreign coaches such as Max Allegri and Christophe Galtier.
Will Salthouse, a name well known to West Ham fans, is one of those influential agents.
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan and West Ham director Jack Sullivan watch on during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brentford...
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Hammers feel like a team going nowhere fast
It was also claimed in the summer that Salthouse was actually key to Lopetegui getting the Hammers job in the first place.
Sporting director Mark Noble, whose role now focuses primarily on West Ham’s Academy, was said to want Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick.
Whatever the stance on Sullivan or Lopetegui, the Hammers chief cannot be accused of being unfair with the manager.
Supporters feel Lopetegui would have been sacked long before now at most other Premier League clubs. Especially ambitious ones.
Sullivan usually watches West Ham matches in his box alongside his sons Jack and Dave or his partner Ampika Pickston.
As West Ham struggled again to show any progress or identity in the fortunate draw with Brighton, the cameras zoomed in on Sullivan looking rather glum.
If that was his mood, it was shared by most of the fans in attendance with the team jeered off at half-time and full-time.
Who he was seen watching it with was very interesting indeed, though.
Influential agent Salthouse was seen sat by Sullivan’s side taking a phone call mid-game.
Salthouse is close friends with the sons of West Ham’s majority owner.
Sullivan pictured looking glum alongside influential agent
Unique Sports Group Chief Executive Salthouse has well over 300 players and managers on his books, after a merger with German sports agency International Sports Management back in 2021.
Given the situation at the club, Sullivan and Salthouse watching the unconvincing performance together could be ominous for the manager.
Sullivan and fellow co-owner Daniel Kretinsky signed off on £155m worth of transfers in the summer.
To be sat 14th with just five wins in the most wide open Premier League season for 15 years is unacceptable.
Especially as the aim was to compete for a European spot.
Perhaps Salthouse was making calls for some much-needed January window reinforcements.
Or perhaps a change of manager is in the offing.
It certainly will be if Lopetegui’s side fail to beat Southampton.
Make no mistake about that.
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