Allardyce: West Ham Players are Struggling With Lopetegui

Former West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has claimed that Hammers players are failing to connect with new head coach Julen Lopetegui.

Big Sam shared his thoughts on a podcast with former England goalkeeper David Seaman, called “Seaman Says” (yes, really).

Allardyce brought up Lopetegui while revisiting his well-worn complaint about substandard foreign coaches taking jobs that should go to British managers. The former Bolton Wanderers boss, who once famously quipped that he’d be managing Real Madrid if his name were Sam Allardici… yeah, okay, mate.

In truth, Allardyce’s usual spiel was nothing new, but his comments on the 58-year-old Lopetegui caught attention. Big Sam could just have been sticking up for his pal David Moyes, which would be understandable, but his certainty in discussing the head coach’s relationship with his players was noteworthy.

Allardyce claimed, “West Ham players are badly struggling to connect with Lopetegui.” This isn’t an isolated view—several sources within the club have hinted at similar sentiments, and Lopetegui himself has suggested he’s struggling to communicate his ideas to the players.

Maybe everyone’s favourite ear cupper has an inside scoop on the Hammers’ training ground or is just backing his buddy. Either way, there could be some truth to the speculation that Lopetegui is finding it difficult to convey his ideas to the squad.

Whatever the case, the actual man who managed Real Madrid—unlike the guy who only talks about it—has two weeks to sort things out on the training ground.