Julen Lopetegui gave West Ham’s players some time off and when they returned the Sky Sports cameras were waiting.
West Ham kept manager Julen Lopetegui in the job by beating Wolves 2-1 on Monday night.
Before the game captain Jarrod Bowen and Max Kilman said the players knew Lopetegui’s job was on the line.
But Bowen made it clear the players wanted to do it for themselves and stricken teammate Michail Antonio.
Off the back of a host of stories of unrest in the dressing room between star players and the manager, those comments – from the captain – were quite revealing.
After a brief ceasefire in hostilities due to the Antonio situation, the pressure is back on Lopetegui ahead of Bournemouth.
Stories have started to emerge again from sources that several key players including Jean-Clair Todibo, Niclas Fullkrug and Mohammed Kudus will demand to leave if the manager isn’t sacked.
Somehow the Hammers were actually worse against Wolves than they had been in a 3-1 defeat at Leicester.
Lopetegui gave West Ham players two days off after Wolves
West Ham’s owners were not impressed with the performance but said winning against woeful Wolves was the most important thing.
Many Hammers fans feel it has simply kicked the can down the road with tough tests against Bournemouth and Brighton up next.
Supporters will soon find out.
West Ham have no European football this season and exited the Carabao Cup in the third round with a woeful 5-1 collapse at Liverpool.
So the fixture calendar has been very sparse thus far.
Despite that, Lopetegui chose to give his players two days off after the unconvincing Wolves win.
Some fans would argue he needs to be doing extra training with the team showing no signs of any identity or understanding what the manager wants on the pitch.
Cynics might suggest it is a move to try and curry favour with a dressing room he has been at odds with since arriving in east London.
Whatever the reason, the Hammers were back at Rush Green after being given two days off.
West Ham let the Sky Sports cameras into training and Lopetegui will instantly regret it.
West Ham let Sky Sports cameras into training and Lopetegui will instantly regret it
The Hammers go to the Vitality to face Bournemouth on Monday night live on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports filmed training with the likes of Todibo featuring.
But as they showed the footage on Sky Sports Centre, presenter Mike Wedderburn delivered an update on what the outlet had been briefed on Lopetegui’s future.
And it has been made clear yet again that the manager’s future is still very much on the line against Bournemouth.
“West Ham have trained today after two days off as they look to build on their morale-boosting win over Wolves this week,” Wedderburn said on Sky Sports Centre overnight.
“Well they play Bournemouth in next Monday night’s football, which you can see live on Sky Sports of course.
“That (Wolves) win eased the pressure on Julen Lopetegui. But we told you this week that results will still be closely monitored and that is still the case.
“The club is still looking for consistency and improvement in defensive areas.
“West Ham are 14th having won just five of their first 15 league games.”
This once again piles the pressure on Lopetegui.
And it’s not just results and performances the board are demanding improve.
Angry West Ham owners have issued Lopetegui a shock ultimatum that has nothing to do with results.
If the former Spain boss doesn’t address it then he will pay the price it’s been claimed.
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