Can anybody find Julen Lopetegui somebody to love at West Ham as doubts and criticism clouds imminent appointment?
As far as warm welcomes go for new managers Julen Lopetegui is set to slip into a cold bath at West Ham.
The Hammers will officially unveil a former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla manager as their new boss this week.
But there will be no red carpet treatment for a man who has it all to prove.
A large section of West Ham fans are unconvinced by Lopetegui.
Judgement has been clouded by a very negative press since Lopetegui walked out on Wolverhampton Wanderers on the eve of the season.
Assessment has been scathing in the wider football press.
New man has it all to prove at West Ham
Lopetegui’s compatriot Guillem Balague has been valiantly trying to justify his credentials.
Balague has become completely exasperated at some of the cynicism and criticism Lopetegui has received from his fellow journalists, pundits and fans.
Lopetegui ‘won over’ David Sullivan when the pair met for his interview, as exclusively revealed to Hammers News by Graeme Bailey.
He must now do the same with his doubters – of which there are many.
Make no mistake West Ham fans will get behind Lopetegui from the start.
But there will have to be distinct signs of improvement in the style of play and evidence that the new manager can push the board to invest in the team.
The list of those speaking out negatively on West Ham’s decision to replace David Moyes with Lopetegui is growing by the day it seems.
Can anybody find Lopetegui somebody to love at West Ham?
Hammers fans were warned by a top Wolves reporter that they may be underwhelmed by their new manager.
“If West Ham fans are craving exciting attacking football then they are probably right to have some reservations about Lopetegui based on his time at Molineux,” Tom Procter told Hammers News.
Simon Jordan believes West Ham fans are right to question the decision to hire Lopetegui.
He said: “To me I don’t understand what the fuss about him is. I don’t really know what he’s done. Ok yes with a decent Sevilla side that he inherited and maintained they won a Europa League. And a decent Porto side that had a decent win record. But other than that he’s got booted out of the Spanish job because he decided he was going to go to Real Madrid. He lasted five minutes at Real Madrid before they booted him out.”
Stan Collymore has told the Hammers there are far better options out there and labelled the incoming boss a ‘disgrace’.
West Ham legend Julian Dicks has voiced serious concerns over Lopetegui.
Another ex West Ham captain, Nigel Reo-Coker, says Lopetegui is ‘the wrong hire’ for his old club.
Pundit Paul Merson says the Spaniard could be at West Ham for 25 years and not achieve what Moyes has.
Troy Deeney believes Lopetegui could be facing the sack after just 10 games at West Ham.
And one of Lopetegui’s former players at Wolves – Pedro Neto – has delivered arguably the most damning verdict yet on the incoming boss.
Could low expectations be a good thing?
It’s hardly ideal PR ahead of the big unveiling.
But could it actually be a positive for West Ham?
Lopetegui clearly arrives amid very low expectations.
So if he can sign some exciting players. change the style and get Hammers fans dreaming again then he could be prove so many wrong.
The man himself will be well aware of the negative talk around his appointment.
He’s used to it after Milan pulled a contract offer when their ultras launched a petition against his appointment.
Hopefully he will attack the job with the intensity of a man looking to shove words down throats and find somebody to love him.
Well, someone other than Guillem Balague at least.
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