West Ham fans are feeling seriously conflicted about their team right now because of the situation with Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham fans called for Julen Lopetegui to be sacked both during and after the defeat to Leicester last week.
When you lose your hardcore away support, there is rarely any coming back from it.
Especially when that away following is as passionate, big and dedicated as West Ham’s.
The Hammers faithful are conflicted because they want to see their team win and play well.
But most are now convinced Lopetegui is not the man for the job.
The Spaniard looked a certainty to be sacked after the shambolic defeats to Arsenal and Leicester, where eight goals were shipped in the process.
Isolated wins against poor opposition like Wolves mean little yet fans leave the ground frustrated knowing it keeps Lopetegui in the job for another game.
The owners said they felt ‘morally obligated’ to give Lopetegui another chance against Wolves.
Steinberg’s Lopetegui sack claim will delight angry West Ham fans
Since then, though, a host of sources have stated that the club were simply buying time while they lined up the 58-year-old’s replacement.
Breaking news hours before West Ham faced Wolves claimed that man is Graham Potter.
In fact it was reported by several different sources that Potter has agreed to take over West Ham on an initial six-month deal.
But David Sullivan and co can hardly sack Lopetegui after a win.
Even if the Hammers hierarchy admitted they weren’t impressed by what they saw.
West Ham don’t hire and fire willy nilly. The club never has in its entire 129-year history.
The way modern football works means that is becoming an increasingly difficult reputation to maintain.
But there had been a buzz around the fact Lopetegui might be sacked that speaks volumes about how desperate fans are for a change.
Some supporters have bemoaned the fact a win means Lopetegui remains in post.
But Jacob Steinberg has made a Lopetegui sack claim that will delight angry West Ham fans.
The journalist is well connected at the club.
And he has some good news for supporters off the back of the win over Wolves.
Hammers are ‘delaying inevitable’ Lopetegui sacking
Because Steinberg claims there is a sense inside West Ham that they are delaying the inevitable and that Lopetegui will indeed be axed in the near future – at the first sign of a poor result.
Writing in The Guardian, Steinberg concedes victory means West Ham’s owners can defer making a call on Lopetegui’s future.
Even, though, Wolves looked the better side for large spells – something that did not go unnoticed by the Hammers hierarchy.
Steinberg claims the sense persists that West Ham are delaying the inevitable given that defeat to Wolves ‘would have brought an end to their unpopular manager’s unhappy reign’.
Following up on social media, Steinberg doubled down, saying this state of limbo is a consequence of the board failing to act by firing Lopetegui last week.
The journalist went on to suggest his sacking remains inevitable to anyone watching West Ham.
He believes that will come the next time Lopetegui’s side face team of better quality than Wolves who can expose them.
And clearly Bournemouth and Brighton next come into that category.
“West Ham were dull and lethargic last night,” Steinberg said.
“A win’s a win? Wolves should have had two penalties and created enough to have drawn. West Ham just had a bit more luck and individual quality but the overall performance was poor.
“This is the consequence of not acting last week.
“It was staggering how many breaks Wolves had at 2-1. It is still not working tactically.
“West Ham will pick up wins and trot along because they have players like Bowen and Kudus. But if they play like this good teams will continue to expose them.”
Journalist says better teams will put Hammers boss on brink
This is where the Bournemouth and Brighton games will be absolutely key to Lopetegui’s future.
These are two clubs with the kind of young, innovative managers West Ham fans craved when parting company with David Moyes.
The fact the Cherries and Seagulls are both outperforming the Hammers while playing excellent, exciting football leaves Lopetegui nowhere to hide.
West Ham have actually been heavily linked with Andoni Iraola of late.
And West Ham confirmed Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler was on their shortlist but they ‘decided to play it safe’ with Lopetegui instead.
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