Ruben Amorim has apologised after those David Sullivan talks but has stopped short of killing West Ham hopes entirely.
It’s been a strange old week for West Ham and Ruben Amorim.
One of the most highly-rated and coveted young managers in world football had seemed a dead cert to take over Liverpool.
But just 24 hours after the Hammers put in a pathetic performance to lose 5-2 at Palace, Amorim was on a plane for talks with West Ham majority owner David Sullivan at his mansion.
It all felt too good to be true for the cynics among West Ham’s fanbase – and there are many of them.
So it proved.
Word emerged from Portugal that the 39-year-old allegedly used the Hammers talks to pressure Liverpool into offering him the job at Anfield.
Many Hammers fans were dizzy at the prospect of Amorim joining West Ham. But the situation did not go down too well in Portugal. At all.
The Hammers were deemed inferior to his current club from a sporting perspective.
Rollercoaster week for Amorim and West Ham
There was a feeling Amorim should only be leaving Sporting for an elite club – like Liverpool.
And the timing of his trip, before a huge derby with Porto as Sporting look to close in on the league title, was also questioned.
The door to Liverpool has since been slammed in Amorim’s face as they turn to Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
That in itself, though, has raised a glimmer of hope among eternal West Ham optimists that Amorim could yet be available to replace David Moyes. Especially as Bayern are appointing Ralf Ragnick and Xavi is staying at Barca.
As reported by Hammers News earlier this week, Amorim was set to hold an apologetic press conference on Saturday where would admit he made a mistake in meeting with West Ham.
Amorim apologises but stops short of killing hopes
Well he has now held that press conference.
And Amorim has apologised after those Sullivan talks but stopped short of killing West Ham hopes entirely.
Addressing the Portuguese press, Amorim apologised. But he did not offer any assurances over his future beyond this season, saying only that the timing was wrong.
“It was a mistake,” Amorim said, as reported by the likes of The Daily Mail.
“The timing was completely wrong.
“I’m always asking my players to be respectful, and I wasn’t, even if I informed the club before (that I was flying to have talks with West Ham).
“I’m so sorry and I apologise to fans, club and players.”
Is door still open for Hammers?
So where now for the Hammers hierarchy?
Many West Ham fans are dead against the club hiring another name in the frame, Julen Lopetegui.
There has been very good news from Italy on that subject today.
Paulo Fonseca is a more popular choice and is said to be a name both Sullivan and West Ham technical director Tim Steidten agree on.
Could there yet be another push to try and lure Amorim, though?
Especially as many experts feel West Ham would be the ideal club for him to step into a major European league for the first time.
Although it looks like this chapter might be closed. Amorim appears to have left the door open on his future.
Whether West Ham throw their hat back in the ring remains to be seen.
I guess we won’t have too much longer to wait until we find out.
