Manager Julen Lopetegui has sent a ‘come and get me’ plea to West Ham United after the Chelsea drubbing as the charm offensive begins.
Like clockwork on the final whistle of West Ham’s abysmal 5-0 drubbing at Chelsea, word emerges from Julen Lopetegui.
The out of work former Wolves boss who nobody seems to want is ‘excited’ about taking over from David Moyes.
Well at least someone is.
Either Lopetegui has supreme confidence in his ability or he didn’t watch this latest Hammers hiding.
The manager nobody wants?
Or perhaps he did and believes he simply can’t do any worse if and when David Sullivan does anoint him Moyes’ successor.
West Ham fans have made their feelings abundantly clear on Lopetegui.
After AC Milan withdrew a contract offer following a protest from their fans, some Hammers supporters started their own online petition.
A fan poll responded to by nearly 5,000 fans saw supporters vote 56 per cent in favour of keeping Moyes over hiring Lopetegui.
Yet he is the man Sullivan has settled on having been ‘won over’ by him during talks.
Hammers fans want a more inspiring choice like Ruben Amorim or Paulo Fonseca.
Lopetegui sends ‘come and get me’ plea to West Ham
The fact Lopetegui was ready to take the Milan job tells you a lot. West Ham weren’t his first choice and he certainly isn’t when it comes to the club’s fans.
Or indeed Tim Steidten and Mark Noble if what we are told about them pushing for Amorim is true.
Whether by accident or design, Lopetegui or his agents had Sky Sports News primed with an update to drop right on full-time of West Ham’s car crash of a performance at Chelsea.
Lopetegui has told West Ham he’s ‘excited’ to take over as the charm offensive begins.
“Sky Sports News understands than Julen Lopetegui’s number one priority is to return to the Premier League,” the broadcast states.
“We also understand he is excited at the prospect of taking over at West Ham if David Moyes does leave at the end of the season.
“We reported on Friday that West Ham have held initial talks with Lopetegui as they continue to do due diligence on a number of managers in the event Moyes does leave…
“His focus is on potentially taking over at West Ham.”
Charm offensive begins but Hammers must think very carefully
West Ham’s hierarchy should tread very carefully here.
Not only will Lopetegui be under intense pressure from the get go if he does join the Hammers, but the Spaniard has a history of questionable behaviour.
Fans will be on his case the moment the team hits a bad run of form or does not show any signs of a vast improvement in the philosophy, style and approach.
Lopetegui famously had secret talks in which he agreed to become the new Real Madrid manager on the eve of leading out his country Spain at a World Cup – the highest honour for any player or boss.
He was sacked for the indiscretion.
Lopetegui then flopped at Real, lasting just TWO MONTHs after starting his reign by becoming the first manager in the club’s history to concede four goals in his first match.
He got the job at Sevilla the following summer but was sacked in 2022 before joining Wolves.
Then he walked out on Wolves when he wasn’t getting his own way over transfers.
If he truly is “excited” to take over West Ham then good on him.
It’s just a shame the feeling is not reciprocated. Well at least outside of Sullivan’s office anyway.