EXCLUSIVE: A journalist has lifted the lid on what David Sullivan told an elite boss who wanted the West Ham job.
Is Julen Lopetegui the right man to take West Ham forward after David Moyes?
That is the big question on everyone’s lips and a question only the 57-year-old Spaniard can answer.
Lopetegui is under pressure to combine style with substance at West Ham.
Especially as the ex Spain boss has not been a universally popular choice.
There are doubts among some West Ham fans who feel Lopetegui might not be the modern, innovative, attack-minded coach they’ve been craving.
The likes of Ruben Amorim, Paulo Fonseca and Thomas Tuchel were seen as more attractive propositions.
Though some are warming to the idea of Lopetegui, the media glare promises to be as intense as that which greeted West Ham’s decision to part ways with Moyes in the first place.
Is Lopetegui the right man for West Ham?
With a host of managers leaving top clubs across Europe this summer, it has set a rare managerial merry-go-round in motion.
As a result, some Hammers supporters feel majority owner David Sullivan and the board should have kept their powder dry on the search for Moyes’ successor to see who was available before rushing in on Lopetegui.
Over a month ago we reported on claims that former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick had attended a match at the London Stadium and was ‘in the frame’ for the job.
Claims then emerged that super agent Pini Zahivi was brokering a £20.5m deal with the Hammers board to appoint Flick.
Now a journalist has lifted the lid on what Sullivan told the elite boss who wanted the West Ham job.
What Sullivan told elite boss who wanted West Ham job
Flick has been appointed the new Barcelona manager.
So it’s reasonable to ask why, if he wanted the West Ham job, did the Hammers board not jump at the chance?
Speaking exclusively to Hammers News, Graeme Bailey claims Sullivan had a decision to make after Flick made it clear he wanted to be West Ham’s new manager via his representatives.
But Sullivan was unconvinced and went with Lopetegui instead.
“I understand that during the search for the new head coach – David Sullivan was made aware via an intermediary he is close to that Hansi Flick was available, within his price range and was keen,” Bailey told Hammers News.
“Let’s remember this was when Xavi had confirmed he was staying put and Barcelona was not even a pipe dream.
“However, despite talks – I am told Sullivan did not think that Flick’s CV was right for West Ham and was not convinced he was the right man.
“And who is to say he is not right? But it certainly made me think when Flick was confirmed as Barcelona head coach, what might have been for West Ham.”
Good enough for Barca but not the Hammers?
Of course there is no guarantee either Lopetegui or Flick will be a success.
The big question, though, is would Barcelona have appointed Lopetegui?
And that may tell its own story.
Essentially Flick is deemed good enough for the mighty Barcelona but not West Ham.
Now it’s up to Lopetegui to prove Sullivan was right and a whole lot more are wrong about the decision to appoint him.
Strangely, West Ham refused to make Lopetegui’s contract length public when he was officially unveiled as the new head coach.
It has since been claimed by an insider that he has been handed a two-year deal with a very specific clause which triggers a third year.
Would you have liked Flick at West Ham – judge for yourself from the explosive video below.