West Ham majority owner David Sullivan has had a change of heart over the future of under pressure Julen Lopetegui, it’s been claimed.
In the hours after West Ham’s defeat to Nottingham Forest, David Sullivan backed the manager.
Sullivan’s spokesman inside the club told Hammers News: “We are 100 per cent behind the manager but results must improve.”
There has been claim and counter claim about Lopetegui’s position since.
A total of five different managers have been linked as replacements for the Spaniard at West Ham.
The Hammers face Everton at home this weekend.
At the start of the week, after Sullivan publicly backed Lopetegui, it was reported that the game against the Toffees was not do-or-die for the 57-year-old.
That’s despite it being rather ominously followed by a two-week international break.
Perhaps more significantly, the last pause in the Premier League season until March.
West Ham’s stated aim after hiring Lopetegui on a two-year deal was qualifying for Europe.
So much so, the head coach’s contract is built around it with any kind of European qualification automatically triggering a third year.
As the week has gone on, though, the narrative around the Everton game has changed completely.
More managers are being linked every day.
More pressure is being applied too. Journalists now being briefed that a win over Sean Dyche’s side is a must.
Sullivan backtracks on Lopetegui after being alarmed
Indeed top West Ham reporter Roshane Thomas claims only a “convincing performance and victory” might save Lopetegui.
So what has happened in the last few days to change the stance of the Hammers hierarchy?
Sullivan has backtracked on Lopetegui after noticing something alarming at West Ham.
Firstly, well-connected journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Everton is a must-win game for Lopetegui.
He claims West Ham are ‘way off’ where the owners expected them to be.
“Defeat would almost certainly see Sullivan pull the plug on his tenure in east London,” Bailey said.
“Sources say that Sullivan would do so reluctantly, but he acknowledges that the form of the side is way off what is expected – especially after major summer spending which saw in excess of £150m spent.”
The situation was later confirmed with more information from Jacob Steinberg.
The Guardian journalist revealed the exact moment Sullivan and co performed their U-turn on Lopetegui this week.
In discussions after publicly backing the former Wolves boss, Sullivan and his fellow board members were left shocked as the reality of their situation dawned on them.
It’s an old football adage that it’s not worth looking at the league table until 10 games in.
Why have West Ham’s owners changed stance on Lopetegui?
By that rule of thumb, the owners could not believe that West Ham are just six points above the bottom three.
Particularly with another tough run of games on the horizon.
“There have been mixed signals over Lopetegui’s immediate future and the sense at the start of this week was that the Everton game was not viewed as make or break,” Steinberg states in The Guardian.
“David Sullivan, West Ham’s majority shareholder, has a history of sticking by his managers. But the club are hugely alarmed to be only six points above the bottom three after last weekend’s defeat by Nottingham Forest.
“At the minimum it is believed that losing again would prompt West Ham to use the international break to line up short- and long-term candidates to take over.”
Two brand new manager names are in the frame for the Hammers hotseat.
It’s clearer than ever now that it all comes down to Everton this weekend.
That’s despite receiving some unlikely support from the man he replaced, David Moyes, this week.
Win convincingly against the Toffees and Lopetegui buys himself some time.
Anything other than three points and any realistic hope of Europe will be extinguished already.
An Everton win would see them go above West Ham in the table with Newcastle and Arsenal up next.
And it’s clear after this major U-turn, that would see Lopetegui sacked.
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