West Ham’s players are well aware Julen Lopetegui has been given two games to save his job ahead of clashes with Newcastle and Arsenal.
It’s not often you hear players giving open and honest interviews in the media managed Premier League nowadays.
But West Ham’s £40m man Max Kilman has just bucked the trend.
The Hammers face a daunting trip to Newcastle on Monday night followed by Arsenal at home this weekend.
Ahead of the Newcastle game, it has been reported that Julen Lopetegui will be axed by the West Ham board if they suffer two defeats.
Lopetegui may even be fired if West Ham don’t get positive results from those extremely difficult fixtures.
Besides terrible results and performances, Lopetegui’s tenure at the London Stadium has been dogged by claims of unrest in the dressing room.
Alex Crook sensationally claimed several West Ham players are ‘unconvinced’ about Lopetegui.
Since his report, a number of journalists have also made similar claims.
Some West Ham stars have not even tried to hide their disdain for the 58-year-old either.
Mohammed Kudus had a furious bust-up with the former Wolves boss.
Brutally honest Kilman drops major Lopetegui sack hint
He and Edson Alvarez have showed flagrant indiscipline on the pitch.
Alvarez and Lucas Paqueta have been seen showing public dissent towards Lopetegui when substituted as well.
When sent off at Forest, Alvarez and Lopetegui ignored one another as the Mexican walked close to him as he left the pitch. It was telling that Alvarez apologised to the fans and his teammates afterwards but not the manager.
Three West Ham stars made their disgust clear to Lopetegui when they were subbed off in the bore draw with Everton before the break.
And a West Ham trio all reportedly want to leave in January. One of them specifically if Lopetegui remains in the job.
Hammers fans are already sick of hearing the same, tired platitudes from their head coach and players each week.
Supporters have been repeatedly told the team is ‘focused’ and ‘working hard to improve’ or that the players are ‘getting used to how the manager wants to play’.
Lopetegui has been in the building for nearly six months. Managers at rivals clubs get their philosophy across and have a clear identity in their play within weeks.
It has all led to this fork in the road moment for West Ham regarding the manager.
A plethora of potential replacements have been linked.
Now the club’s biggest summer signing has spoken out about the situation.
Hammers stars know Lopetegui could be a goner this week
Brutally honest Kilman has dropped a major hint the players know Lopetegui could be a goner this week.
Kilman is one of very few players who can hold his head up high this season.
The centre-back has looked a class apart for much of the campaign since arriving from Wolves, where he played under Lopetegui previously.
Kilman was one of Lopetegui’s big targets in the summer. So the manager deserves credit for bringing him to West Ham.
The 27-year-old has insisted Lopetegui is a good manager. But he admits it has taken too long for things to click at West Ham this season.
And, refreshingly, Kilman has admitted players are well aware the manager’s job is on the line against Newcastle and Arsenal – specifically describing those two games as ‘huge’.
“Our next two games are huge,” Kilman told the club’s website ahead of Newcastle.
“And we know if we can get good results a lot will change.
“That’s our plan, and what we’re looking to do. Hopefully I can be a big part of driving that on…
‘It’s taken longer than we’ve liked’ admits Kilman
“It always takes time when new players and a new manager come together. It’s maybe taken a bit longer than we would have liked, but we have a really good squad and an exciting way that we want to play.
“I worked under him (Lopetegui) at Wolves, and he’s a great manager with a great reputation, so I’m loving working under him again. And I’m really enjoying working with all my teammates, too.”
Fair play to Kilman for fronting up about the situation.
It’s obvious he would back the manager having been made captain by him at Wolves and then brought to east London by the Spaniard.
Others clearly don’t share Kilman’s respect of their boss, though. That’s been abundantly clear for all to see so far.
While Kilman’s honesty is a breath of fresh air, it all feels rather ominous.
It’s one thing a journalist claiming a manager has two games to save his job. The fact the players know it too, suggests that is very much the reality.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
