West Ham United’s decision to appoint Julen Lopetegui has given pundit Stan Collymore the collywobbles as he delivers his verdict.
Next week West Ham will officially unveil Julen Lopetegui as the 18th permanent manager in the club’s 129-year history.
We are led to believe the Spaniard signed a three-year deal last Wednesday evening.
Confirmation that Lopetegui will succeed David Moyes is being held until after the Scot has said his goodbyes following the season finale at Man City on Sunday.
Moyes has done an excellent job in east London.
But he stated his job was to raise expectations at the club only to bemoan those very expectations when they did rise.
Moyes – alongside the owners of course – has also failed to future-proof the West Ham squad.
That means Lopetegui will inherit just 16 senior players and faces a major rebuild to start his West Ham career.
Lopetegui appointment divides opinion
The 57-year-old has not been a universally popular choice among fans.
Lopetegui has been out of a job, by choice we’re told, since walking out on Wolverhampton Wanderers on the eve of this season last August.
An increasing number of pundits, journalists and former West Ham players and coaches have been warning the club’s supporters to ‘be careful what they wish for’, ad nauseum.
Serious doubts have been cast over Lopetegui by many.
Paul Merson, for example, has stated the Spaniard could be at West Ham for 25 years and not achieve what Moyes has.
West Ham legend Julian Dicks also rather surprisingly voiced grave concern over the Lopetegui appointment.
Now a former Premier League striker who has a connection to Wolves having come through their academy has had his say.
The West Ham decision on Lopetegui has given Stan Collymore the collywobbles it seems.
Collymore blasts ‘disgraceful’ Lopetegui and West Ham
Speaking to Caught Offside, outspoken pundit Collymore has branded Lopetegui a ‘disgrace’ for walking out on Wolves on the eve of this season.
And he used the same word to describe West Ham’s treatment of Moyes.
Collymore also says there are better options out there for the Hammers than Lopetegui, who – he says – won’t think twice about walking out on West Ham if a better opportunity comes along.
“Do I believe that David Moyes’ time at West Ham is up? Yes, but the way in which West Ham have done it is absolutely shambolic,” Collymore said.
“All clubs talk to potential new managers behind the current incumbents back, that’s just a given, but in Lopetegui in particular, I think to myself are their better options out there and I think there probably are.
“The way that he walked out on Wolves was an absolute disgrace regardless of what promises he was made.
‘Long, hard look in the mirror’
“And that would raise a massive red flag for me because if he did well at West Ham then the likes of Liverpool and Man United came in for him down the road, because they’re teams that will have been in transition for years to come (maybe Chelsea as well), he would quite happily walk out on the Hammers as well. So I think their due diligence in terms of finding the right man has been appalling.
“For me it’s really simple. I think that that West Ham need to have a long, hard look in the mirror and assess their conduct.”
Troy Deeney and Simon Jordan share Collymore’s opinion on Lopetegui, which you can see in the video below.
While some are not overly excited or convinced Lopetegui is the right choice, one man who knows him very well is exasperated at what he claims is ill-informed pre-judgement.
Guillem Balague has delivered a detailed assessment of what Lopetegui will bring to West Ham.
And what he had to say will undoubtedly excite Hammers fans.