“Sacked this morning, you’re getting sacked this morning”, the West Ham fans began to sing, to the tune of “Guantanamera”, from the away stand at the King Power Stadium, during the game against Leicester City, on Tuesday. . A popular exhortation that had already been heard, days before, from Liverpool fans towards Pep Guardiola, the coach of Manchester City.
In this case, however, the West Ham fans were singing for the manager himself, Julen Lopetegui.
There were eight wins and three draws in 18 games – with three or more goals conceded in seven of them -, with just five wins for the Spaniards this season, and a disappointing 14th place in the Premier League.As well as getting rid of the League Cup (against Liverpool). In the last two games, two wins.The former FC Porto coach is under fire and, although he has already secured the West Ham Board, the results are not improving. Neither does the relationship with the fans.
“You’ll be fired tomorrow morning” is the translation of the West Ham fans’ chant during the match against Leicester, which resulted in a 3-1 victory. The second in a row. Seventh place in 14 rounds of the championship. The contrast with last season, in which David Moyes led the Hammers to ninth in the Premier League and the quarter-finals of the Europa League, only heightens the criticism.
The harsh comparison with David Moyes
If we go back one more season,despite the 14th place in the English league – the same place that West Ham finds now with Lopetegui – we find ourselves winning the Conference League. In 2020/21, sixth place in the Premier League and, in 2021/22, seventh place and the semi-finals of the Europa league. All with Moyes, who already saved the team from relegation.
Let’s go back to today and Lopetegui’s record of 50% wins and only 28% wins by the author of the fans’ dissatisfaction. Still, the Spaniard is unmoved by the criticism and chants.
“I’m a coach, I don’t understand what’s happening around me,” he said, at the end of the game, when asked about the chants. “I’m just focused on the game. I want to change the situation and I believe in the players. we have to improve, be more efficient and more consistent. I’m sure we’ll achieve that in the next challenge”, he said. added.
Sérgio and schmidt in the line of succession
Despite Lopetegui’s belief, the English press is already buzzing with potential candidates for the job. One of the most talked about is Sérgio Conceição.
According to the newspaper “The Guardian“,West Ham have yet to approach,but their list includes the name of the former Portugal international,who has been without a club since leaving FC Porto at the end of last season.
Also Roger Schmidt, fired from Benfica at the end of AugustMassimiliano Allegri, who left Juventus at the end of last season, graham potter, who played for Brighton & Hove Albion but had a bad (and short) experience at Chelsea, and Christophe Galtier, who manages Al-Duhail, from Qatar. present, being reported to the place by the British press. For now, though, Julen Lopetegui remains.