Hammers legend Julian Dicks has voiced grave West Ham concern after the club’s call to replace David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui.
It’s the worst kept secret in football at the moment that Julen Lopetegui will be West Ham’s new boss.
West Ham officially announced David Moyes would depart the club earlier this week.
The intention was that Hammers fans would be able to give him the send-off he deserved in his last ever home game against Luton.
And that was the case as West Ham came from behind to beat the Hatters 3-1 as they said goodbye to Moyes at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The formal announcement on Lopetegui is on hold until the end of season out of respect to Moyes.
It is fair to say the Spaniard has not been a unanimously popular choice among supporters.
Names such as Ruben Amorim, Thomas Tuchel and Paulo Fonseca were more appealing to many West Ham fans.
Dicks voices concern after Moyes and Lopetegui calls
Lopetegui has been jobless, by choice, since walking out on Wolves last August.
Some do not see the 57-year-old as the innovative, modern, attack-minded coach they craved as Moyes’ successor.
Lopetegui will of course get the backing of West Ham’s fans from the off.
And many who were not overly excited by his impending arrival, have started to warm to the idea after hearing from those more informed on the ex Spain and Real Madrid manager’s career.
They will have to see signs of change in the way the team plays and approaches games under Lopetegui, though.
The Premier League’s smallest and second oldest squad must also be drastically improved this summer to give Lopetegui a chance of progress.
A host of pundits, journalists and observers have been warning West Ham supporters to be ‘careful what they wish for’.
Doubts have been cast over Lopetegui, the latest example being Paul Merson stating he could be at West Ham for 25 years and not achieve what Moyes did in four-and-a-half.
Merson’s opinion counts for little among the Hammers fanbase. But one man whose view does matter to them is Julian Dicks.
Legend issues word of warning
The legendary left-back is one of West Ham’s greatest ever players and was also assistant under the attack-minded Slaven Bilic.
Dicks knows more than most what West Ham fans want and expect. Namely to attack and take the game to the opposition as often as possible.
So his verdict may surprise some.
Because Dicks has voiced grave West Ham concern after the club’s Lopetegui call.
Dicks did not utter those infamous words ‘be careful what you wish for’.
But he did say he is worried about what the future holds under Lopetegui following Moyes’ departure as fans crave a better style of football.
“I do worry about those who are happy to see him (Moyes) go because don’t they like the brand of football,” Dicks said in The Sun (May 12, Goals pullout, page 3).
“They will finish in the top 10 again this season for the third time in four years.
‘What would you rather?’
“What would you rather? Play incredible football and end up in the Championship or do what David has done and be successful enough to have qualified for Europe and won the club its first trophy for 43 years?”
Dicks may not have said the words but he is more or less telling West Ham fans to be careful what they wish for here.
You wouldn’t expect that from him of all people and he wouldn’t make such a statement lightly.
But why should West Ham playing a more attacking brand of football automatically mean relegation?
If the likes of Villa, Spurs, Newcastle, Brighton, Palace and even Bournemouth can have good football and results, why can’t West Ham?
As much as we love Julian, he may not know too much about Lopetegui.
So perhaps it is more reassuring to listen to those who have followed the new Hammers boss’ career closely
Someone like Guillem Balague, who believes West Ham have pulled off a coup by luring one of the best managers in Europe.