West Ham could launch a seriously ambitious move to bring in the manager of a Premier League rival and fans will welcome him with open arms.
The Hammers have infuriated a large majority of their fanbase this week.
After the 3-1 defeat to Leicester, West Ham fans called for Julen Lopetegui to be sacked.
A widely publicised board meeting was expected to be followed by an announcement on Friday that the Spaniard had been relieved of his duties.
However, Lopetegui has been left clinging to his job by his fingernails after West Ham’s owners elected to give him one more game.
Many Hammers fans are furious at the decision, pointing out that a victory over Wolves – currently the worst team in the Premier League – will prove little about the manager or the team.
In fact supporters are so angry some have called for a boycott of Monday night’s crunch game.
There were further developments overnight, though.
It has been claimed by several leading sources that the Lopetegui situation is not cut and dried.
The 58-year-old has allegedly only been granted a stay of execution to allow David Sullivan and co more time to speak to potential replacements.
It has been widely reported that West Ham’s preference was to bring someone in for the rest of the season and then review the situation in the summer.
West Ham want boss with release clause who’s 16 miles away
Much like what they did with David Moyes when he came in for his first spell to replace Manuel Pellegrini.
According to press reports, some of the candidates – such as Graham Potter – have rejected the proposition of an initial six-month deal.
That, it’s being claimed, has led the Hammers to think more seriously about bringing in a replacement for the long-term.
And The Telegraph claim West Ham want a boss with a release clause who’s just 16 miles away.
The outlet has published an article from their leading reporters Sam Wallace, Jason Burt and Matt Law stating West Ham have identified Brentford manager Thomas Frank as a top target.
The amount West Ham would have to pay to lure Frank away from the Gtech has also been revealed.
It’s also been claimed that the Hammers know they would have to offer the Dane a longer term deal to get him to leave Brentford.
The Telegraph trio state Lopetegui’s future is far from certain with Frank on the radar.
“Along with Potter, Edin Terzić, Roger Schmidt, Sérgio Conceição and Massimiliano Allegri have all been considered as potential successors,” the report claims.
“There is also believed to be interest in Brentford’s Thomas Frank, but his contract is thought to include a buy-out clause that could cost West Ham as much as £9 million.
“Frank certainly would not leave Brentford to take a short-term deal at West Ham, while Terzic, Schmidt, Conceicao and Allegri may also be reluctant to, given none of them currently live or work in England.”
Hammers fans will be delighted to hear this.
Hammers fans big admirers of Frank
Even if most will be sceptical about the club actually paying the £9m to bring Frank from west to east London.
It would be a massive statement of intent if they did.
West Ham could silence the doubters and kill the negativity enveloping the club overnight with this move.
Frank is a name regularly put forward by West Ham fans as a manager they’d love to see at their club.
Supporters feel West Ham needed a more modern, progressive coach with an attack-minded philosophy when Moyes left.
Frank is charismatic, positive and a highly intelligent tactician.
He is also used to working in a structure where players are chosen to fit his system.
Staying in London at a far bigger club playing in front of 62,000 fans every other week and a squad full of international stars would surely appeal to Frank as a logical next step in his career.
He has done a fine job at Brentford who have been seriously punching above their weight just being in the top flight. And it has all been done on a shoestring budget.
Frank is very much an attack-minded manager but does not employ naïve tactics like Lopetegui has too often this season.
Crucially he also gets the absolute best out of his players and likes to have a young side full of energy and running.
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