‘David Sullivan made monumental West Ham mistake after Julen Lopetegui latest’
West Ham have taken a big step backwards this season following their disappointing campaign at the London Stadium.
The Hammers finished ninth in the Premier League last season to secure their third top-half finish in four full campaigns under David Moyes.
Julen Lopetegui was appointed as Moyes’s successor last summer as the east London club looked to build upon the platform the Scottish manager had built.
However, Lopetegui secured just seven victories from his 22 games in charge before being sacked in January, only six months into his two-year deal.
The Spanish boss was then replaced by former Chelsea manager Graham Potter, who penned a two-and-a-half-year contract at the London Stadium.
It hasn’t been the start to life Potter would have been hoping for with the Hammers, having claimed just three victories in his 15 matches in charge.
The East Londoners now sit 17th in the Premier League table, but they are under no threat of relegation after Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton’s immediate return to the Championship has already been confirmed.
West Ham are set for a significant hit in prize money this season following their miserable campaign, and that could potentially impact their summer transfer budget.
West Ham made appointment mistake after David Moyes sacking
There were various questions asked about West Ham’s decision to sack Moyes last summer and appoint Lopetegui as his replacement.
While the on-field performances had stagnated under Moyes, there was little to suggest Lopetegui was the man for the long-term future.
The Spaniard’s latest trophy success came in the Europa League with Sevilla in 2020, while Moyes won the Conference League with West Ham in 2023.
In the build-up to Moyes’s departure, it wasn’t confirmed he was leaving until late in the season.
That suggests a lack of forward planning from David Sullivan and the West Ham board.
Lopetegui, whose last job came with Wolves in 2022-23, clearly wasn’t the right profile to take the club forward and his appointment has proven to be a monumental mistake.
The 58-year-old spent more than £120million on nine new additions last summer – the majority of which have underwhelmed at the London Stadium.
Lopetegui has now been appointed as the Qatar national team manager on a two-year deal.
Although it will no doubt be a well-paid job, it just backs up the fact he wasn’t the right man to replace Moyes and take West Ham forward.
| Matches | 22 |
| Wins | 7 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 10 |
| Goals scored | 26 |
| Goals conceded | 44 |
Graham Potter makes West Ham transfer demand
Potter is now demanding to be heavily backed this summer as he looks to get the Hammers moving in the right direction again.
The 49-year-old will get time to turn things around at the London Stadium, but he is already under pressure following his unconvincing start.
Although it’s impossible to say whether Potter would have been the right candidate to immediately replace Moyes last summer, it’s clear West Ham need to put a better plan in place for the future after a disappointing year.
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