West Ham’s stance on club legend Mark Noble replacing Graham Potter on an interim basis if he is axed has been revealed by a well-connected journalist.
Pressure is mounting on Hammers boss Graham Potter as speculation intensifies over his future.
West Ham’s problems pre-date Potter.
But they could soon out-live him in east London too.
West Ham’s woeful malaise actually set in under David Moyes at the start of 2024.
Since leaving the club, Kevin Nolan has claimed it was the result of word getting out amongst the players that David Sullivan had withdrawn Moyes’ contract.
What has followed since has been 21 months of rapid decline.
West Ham have now won just 17 of their last 61 Premier League games since a 2-0 win at Arsenal on December 28th 2023.
West Ham decline pre-dates Potter and now it could out-live him
Whatever way you dress it up, the Hammers are asking for relegation if that ratio continues.
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Julen Lopetegui proved a disastrous appointment. But under Potter, West Ham are somehow even worse.
The Englishman has won just six of his 24 games in charge since arriving in east London eight months ago.
Alarmingly only two of those wins have come at home, against Fulham and Leicester.
After four defeats from five games this season, the Irons sit in the bottom three of the fledgling Premier League table and have crashed out of the League Cup – a competition West Ham should be looking to go deep into – at the first hurdle.
A vote of no confidence in the owners from West Ham’s Fan Advisory Board and a series of planned protests show where supporters feel the blame rests for the mess at the London Stadium.
But staying in the Premier League is clearly vital to West Ham in the long-term, especially if the fans ultimately want to attract new owners.
A growing number of Hammers fans don’t feel Potter is the man for the job.
West Ham head coach Graham Potter shakes hands with Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo before his sacking
Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
He has gone on record himself saying he can be judged this season after having a full pre-season period and bringing in some of his own signings.
That judgement has already been passed as far as some fans are concerned.
Many believe the owners may soon pass their own judgement.
It has been claimed that Potter would have been sacked had the Hammers lost to Forest before the international break.
A shock 3-0 win meant the accuracy of that claim was not tested.
The dismal 3-0 defeat to Spurs has seen pressure mount on Potter, though.
A top source has revealed the truth on Graham Potter’s West Ham future ahead of the clash with Palace this weekend.
Now West Ham’s stance on club legend Mark Noble replacing Potter has been revealed.
West Ham stance on Noble replacing Potter revealed
Sullivan ruled out ever appointing Jose Mourinho as Hammers boss when he was linked after leaving Fenerbahce last month.
West Ham are reportedly eyeing Nuno Espirito Santo as a potential replacement for Potter.
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna was also allegedly spotted in the director’s box for the Tottenham defeat.
Sullivan is renowned for refusing to pay compensation to go out and forcibly poach a manager performing well at another club.
Palace looks like a must-win game for Potter given the abysmal start the Hammers have made and the fact it is Everton and Arsenal up next.
With a lack of quality candidates out of work right now, the potential candidates to replace Potter are thin on the ground.
West Ham legend Mark Noble is now the club's sporting director
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
That has had some fans pondering whether club legend Noble might be asked to step in.
Sir Trevor Brooking has done something similar from a director role twice in the past.
Noble is the current sporting director at West Ham, where he primarily acts as a bridge between the Academy and the first team.
Now the board’s position on Noble potentially replacing Potter on an interim basis until other candidates are available has been made clear.
Few reporters are better connected across West Ham than Roshane Thomas.
The Athletic journalist has provided an update from behind the Irons curtain where he addressed questions about whether Noble could take over from Potter.
Sullivan won’t move away from free agent manager model
Thomas states that Potter there could be ‘huge implications’ for Potter’s future if poor results continue.
The report states that Sullivan has shown no indication he will move away from his model of only appointing out-of-work managers should Potter be axed, saying the Hammers chief sees that as “win-win”.
Some fans would be excited by the prospect of Noble taking over for a spell.
Many feel he certainly couldn’t do much worse and would bring a passion for the club to the role which Potter has been accused of lacking.
But those who like the idea shouldn’t get their hopes up.
Because Thomas says Noble replacing Potter in the dugout, even on an interim basis, is ‘very unlikely’.
Thomas says West Ham’s board would have doubts due to Noble’s inexperience, not to mention his reluctance to pursue a career in management.
It is also stated that Noble ‘prefers and enjoys’ his role as sporting director and would not want to jeopardise that in any way.