Wolves players have received some sympathy from former Watford striker and talkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney, who has shared his opinion on Julen Lopetegui’s actions last summer.
Almost a year after leaving Wolves, Julen Lopetegui has been in the headlines this week after being all but confirmed as the figure to take over from David Moyes at West Ham.
The Spaniard departed Molineux just three days before the start of the 2023/24 campaign amid concerns over the strength of his squad as a result of Wolves’ lack of business in the transfer window.
READ MORE: Guillem Balague makes intriguing new claim about Julen Lopetegui’s exit from Wolves
Financial restrictions left Fosun with little room to support Lopetegui, who was fortunately replaced by Gary O’Neil, who has done a tremendous job in his first season with the Old Gold.
The former Real Madrid boss’ swift exit left many Wolves fans unnerved as the squad was abandoned with no time to adapt to O’Neil’s ways before the start of the Premier League season, an opinion shared by talkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney.
Troy Deeney shares sympathy for Wolves amid Julen Lopetegui news
Speaking on Up Front, Deeney discussed West Ham’s decision to hire Lopetegui with pundit Simon Jordan, expressing his concerns over the Spaniard’s previous actions in how he left Wolves.
“The manager they are bringing in is the guy who left at the start of the season with one day to go, right? And said to Wolves, not for me.
“Now, we can all have our opinion on that. How do you say to the group of lads, I’m in with you, we’re all in we’re going to have a great pre-season and next season is going to be better.
“If I’m one of those lads, if I’m Michail Antonio or the like, I’m going why should I believe you? You left your own team last year. So I don’t think it’s a great appointment.”
The former Watford striker was then asked by Jordan if he would share such opinion if he was a player in West Ham’s squad, to which he replied, ‘absolutely’, sharing his reasons.
“You’ve quit on the team, whether some things haven’t gone right or whatever I just think in the back of your head you’re going hold on, if I’m in the group, been there a long time, I’d say listen boss.
“Obviously it’s all nuance with the way you say things, I know you’ve just come in, me and a few of the lads think this.”
Deeney went on to explain what he would say to Lopetegui with reference to how he abandoned his squad at Wolves just days before the season, admitting that it would have left a ‘dodgy taste’.
“I don’t know if you want to address it or you want to tell me and I’ll tell them but we thought you just left them lads at Wolves and that’s left a bit of a dodgy taste because the boys have asked.
“You’ve got to now answer that question, not because you owe us anything. It’s the elephant in the room, deal with it.”
Julen Lopetegui exit was the best scenario for Wolves
A lot can be said about Lopetegui’s short time at Wolves, as while the Spaniard left on a bad note, he triumphed in keeping the Old Gold in the Premier League, despite the club being bottom of the table at Christmas in 2022.
Hindsight shows that the 57-year-old’s exit was in Wolves’ best interests, as O’Neil has come in and inspired the squad to play exciting football and hold high expectations against the odds.
If Lopetegui hadn’t jumped ship, the Englishman wouldn’t have been able to navigate the current squad as well as he has, with there now hope that the former Bournemouth boss will be better supported in the transfer window than the ex-Wolves manager was in 2023.
