Cesc Fabregas has issued his verdict on Julen Lopetegui with the Spaniard set to become the next West Ham United manager at the end of the season.
Many West Ham fans received the news that they were looking for last week when it was confirmed that David Moyes will leave the London Stadium at the end of the campaign after a difficult season for the Europa Conference League champions.
The Irons are yet to confirm who his successor will be, but TBR Football understands that Julen Lopetegui is in line to take over with David Sullivan deciding that he wanted to appoint the 57-year-old.
Lopetegui has been out of work since leaving Wolves on the eve of this season. His time at Molineux was reasonably impressive, with Lopetegui guiding them out of relegation trouble.
Cesc Fábregas reacts as Julen Lopetegui closes in on West Ham job
He has managed both the Spanish national team and Real Madrid, while also winning the Europa League with Sevilla. So he definitely has a decent track record.
And speaking on Planet Premier League, Cesc Fábregas suggested that it could be a smart choice from West Ham – even if he was the coach who brought the curtain down on his international career.
“I think he’s a good coach, I shouldn’t say that because he kicked me out of the Spanish national team, he is the one who stopped taking me so that hurts still,” he said.
“He’s had success with the Spanish under-21 team, obviously all that mess that happened in the Spanish national team when he signed for Real Madrid and they kicked him out before the World Cup. When Real Madrid signs you, something is good around you, you’ve done a good job somewhere, somehow.
“And his Sevilla team, for example, played quite well. He won the Europa League playing some good football.
“At Wolverhampton, correct me if I’m wrong, I think he did a good job, especially in the first year creating a good atmosphere, a good brand of football, getting them away from the relegation zone, so I don’t know what happened really, why he left Wolves, but definitely, he’s a coach that has very clear ideas of what he wants to do. He’s had success in a couple of teams where he’s been, so why not. I think he could be good, but he plays a different style to what West Ham has done for the last couple of years.”
Hammers have definitely made at least one correct decision
West Ham fans have come in for a lot of stick this season for wanting Moyes to do a lot better with a squad which includes players such as Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen.
Of course, there is a question mark over Lopetegui given that he has only managed more than 80 games with one team in his entire career, and has only had a brief stay in the Premier League so far.
If Lopetegui does not work out, that does not mean that the decision to replace Moyes was wrong. Ultimately, things have become so stale at West Ham, and were threatening to turn toxic if they had not already.
Lopetegui is definitely a statement appointment given that he has managed Spain and Real Madrid. If things click, he certainly has the potential to take West Ham to that next level.