Dark clouds are once again gathering over the London Stadium and now West Ham’s board has responded to a big Graham Potter question.
- Hammers News exclusive
West Ham are on their third manager in less than a year but debate is raging over whether they should soon be looking for a fourth.
There were high hopes Graham Potter would turn West Ham’s awful season around when he replaced Julen Lopetegui.
The Hammers have been stuck in a rut since the start of 2024.
Lopetegui was unable to shake off a malaise that very much started on David Moyes’ watch.
The Spaniard paid the price with his job, becoming the shortest-serving permanent manager in West Ham’s near 130-year history when he was sacked in January after just 192 days and 22 games.
Somehow, though, the Hammers have regressed even further since Potter’s arrival.
Potter already feeling the heat over his West Ham future
On the whole, performances and results have been terrible under the Englishman.
West Ham have managed just three wins from Potter’s 14 games, falling from 13th under Lopetegui to 17th under the ex Chelsea boss.
The 1-1 draw at home against Southampton – the Premier League’s joint-worst team of all time – is a new low for Potter, and perhaps the season.
It has ignited debate that was already raging over whether Potter is the right man for this big West Ham job.
Supporters are very much divided – even if most recognise chopping and changing managers goes against West Ham’s history.
Some fans feel the club must hold their hands up on another managerial mistake this summer before any further damage is done.
Others think Potter needs to be judged next season when he has his own team in place.
The counter argument is that it would not be wise to once again rebuild the squad around a manager West Ham are unsure about.
It was recently revealed that the Hammers have a break clause in the manager’s two-and-a-half year contract. But it is only valid next year.
That news was leaked after the recent defeat to Wolves, which many believe tells its own story about early board concerns over the Hammers boss.
It is fair to say supporters, pundits and journalists have been scathing of Potter in the wake of the draw with already relegated Saints.
Former Hammer Dean Ashton and Martin Keown have savaged Potter.
West Ham give guarded response to big Potter question
Striker Niclas Fullkrug has slammed his West Ham teammates and suggested many of them are not listening to Potter.
The German also labelled the team “s—” in an angry rant.
West Ham fans have demanded action after Fullkrug’s outburst.
Now West Ham have given a guarded response to the big Potter question as freak circumstances are blamed.
Hammers News suggested ahead of the Southampton game that Potter would not be retained by West Ham had majority owner David Sullivan had his way and appointed him on an initial six-month contract.
That was before the unthinkable failure to beat the Saints cemented that theory.
Given the furious fan reaction and criticism of Potter, Hammers News has now spoken to the top contact inside the club.
Hammers board point blame freak circumstances
The senior spokesman for West Ham’s owners was directly asked whether the board are sure Potter is the right man for the job.
It was also put to the owners whether Potter was guaranteed to be manager next season regardless of what happens between now and the end of the campaign.
The guarded response did not address those questions directly.
But West Ham appear to have defended Potter by suggesting he is the victim of freak circumstance.
The Hammers board claim West Ham have simply paid the price for conceding more late goals in the last few weeks than you’d expect in an entire season.
“Sadly we have conceded late on in four of our last five games,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively told Hammers News.
“That usually happens once or twice in a season, let alone a few games.”
It is true that without late goals shipped in the closing stages against Southampton, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Everton, West Ham could have another seven points right now.
That would see the Hammers in 13th place – one win off 11th-placed Brentford.
While that would not necessarily make a great difference given expectations before the season began, it is worth around £10m in merit award money and would give some hope to a disillusioned fanbase.
Whether the board’s take on things will wash with supporters remains to be seen.
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