West Ham is finally moving closer to the replacement of Julen Lopetegui with Graham Potter which is likely to conclude within the next 24 hours if there are no further contractual hitches.
The photo of Tim Steidten and Graham Potter that emerged yesterday was from 3 December in Leicester. Potter was commentating on the Leicester City v West Ham game, and Steidten was also present at the game. Negotiations have been going on for over a month, with West Ham Vice-Chairman Karren Brady taking a lead role.
Brady and Steidten were present with David Sullivan and other board members where Potter was interviewed again on Monday.
The deal seemed to be stalling earlier today over contract terms with West Ham offering a six-month with a two-year option and Potter’s people wanting a straight two and half year deal.
Brady has led constructive talks today which have been described as positive and Claret and Hugh understand a compromise should soon be reached on the additional two years.
Instead of being a two-year extension that can only be activated by the club, the compromise is thought to involve a performance metric that would automatically trigger a two-year extension.
What that metric will be is currently unknown but it could be a league finish like top eight or European qualification or it might include an FA cup run or some other similar metric to measure success this season.
Looking at Mr T R´s list of ex Academy players I agree that none of them would be first team regulars now if they had been retained even though some of them looked very promising a few years ago.
The one closest to Prem League level is Josh Cullen who´s still at Burnley who are currently 2nd in the Championship but even if he was still at West Ham where would Lopetegui put him in the midfield pecking order? Probably around the level of Irving.
Wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole
For all the “Sullivan out” talk, why would he? The clubs gone up in value. He didn’t make his billion by being kind hearted and listening to opinions. He’s a hard nosed business man. Kretinsky too. He’s been very successful by being very savvy. Our owners haven’t bought us as vanity project status symbols like some oligarch or oil prince. So we have to be realistic. However, because they are business people they should see the value of euro qualification in raising the value of their investment. Just don’t expect them to be all warm fuzzy and caring about us I suppose.
Any business that is not a monopoly that shows such complete disregard for its customers will only decline.
I feel like I am taken for granted and I will not put up with it much longer
Not thrilled with the prospect of Potter – a very average manager; yes safe pair of hands and all that, but I don’t see him making a great impact. I’d like them to take a punt on someone like Edin Terzić.
No more “punts”. Potter did great at BHA, used young players, played a good style. CFC was a ****show and bad move. Poch floundered the next year. Potter knows British football. Don’t take a punt on Bilic’s former number 2. Get Potter in.
… and another 24 hours. This seems to be a feature of a never ending soap opera. Let’s call it “The Only Way Is Sullivan”.
Or like an old Aussie classic ‘The Sullivans’
Ha ha, Benny! I remember ‘The Sullivans’, though it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. That family would have nothing on the drama that West Ham’s Sullivan generates all by himself. Although he might get some inspiration from his girlfriend, former ‘Real Housewives Of Cheshire’ star Ampika Pickston.
Yes about time hopefully tomorrow will be confirmed as Potter as new manager.
The board should arrive at a conclusion that the manager is to be changed and the manager should be sacked at the first convenient opportunity.
A formal announcement should then be made that the manager has left, including those who have left with them wishing them well, it should be announced who the interim manager is, whether candidates are being interviewed, and how long it is thought it might be until a new manager is appointed.
There should be no leaks or official source gossip anywhere in that process and then another formal announcement should be made welcoming the new manager and his staff.
That’s what a professional outfit would do.
If I was approached by West Ham for the job, I’d run a mile.
They will, about two days too late!
Let’s hope a satisfactory agreement happens tomorrow – it’s dragging on too long
and we need to get some stability and team spirit back in the squad, which will hopefully reflect in much improved performances.
Like potter hes better than the average manager he will do well
Just get in done, we need something to believe in again.
This is part of the problem with our club, confidential info being leaked by all and sundry to all and sundry!!!
Without all the leaks and public reveals that then get picked up by every half arsed reporter out there maybe our club wouldn’t be the circus everyone thinks we are!
I’d ban the likes of ExWHU Employee tomorrow if I took over the club!!
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Not sure sure euro qualification is a reasonable target from where we stand. Maybe a points total and a more convincing system of play and properly integrating the squad. A commitment to youth players would be nice.
Yeah, like we’ll get Euro qualification now? Top half finish and showing a bit more grit will do me. And the long requested, little seen bringing on younger players. We have two young Brazilians not playing, we have some good academy youngsters, and we may even get Ferguson. Who knows, some coaching may even take place and Mav might start to learn from his mistakes?? And Potter gets the importance of creating a culture at a club and THAT is what we need, we need to value the club its community, its culture. Bring on the future.
Not to sure about the metrics of our next 7/8 games, but surely we need to stop conceding goals and score more
An FA Cup run, that would be nice but we have Arsenal, then Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool in the next rounds 😂
I do not care if you are a champions league winning manager or someone fresh from National league success because why with the people in charge at our club would anyone walk into a total joke of a club that enjoys humiliating themselves on a regular basis….Ever since the unholy trinity came to our club its been one drama after another i wish they would sell up and sail off into the sunset
Well said Joseph…thats all I’ve ever wanted is for them too disappear as well.
They have killed our club.
Why would anyone want to come and work under Sullivan….
“Killed our club” is a bit strong, considering West Ham won their first trophy in donkey’s years 18 months ago.
And they’ve said numerous times they only bought the club because it was West Ham, after the state the Icelandic lot had left it in. I think there’s a bit of perspective to be had. Or just keep screaming about how awful the owners are that put West Ham in the top 20 most valuable clubs in the world.
I’d go further and say “killed our club” is effing laughable – “saved it”, more like. That said – something’s amiss as the players don’t look happy – I hope it gets sorted soon.
DJ you could not be more wrong.
They have absolutely milked /bled West Ham and the fans white. – The crime sheet is endless –
Sold Upton Park and pocketed the lot – ECL Trophy could have been won if we had stayed.
Numerous loans to the club at inflated interest rates that Sully made millions from
Payments for service rendered for all the terrible players he’s bought with his mates Will Salthouse & Barry Silkman
Don’t get me started on all the lies about Stratford and the move.
The total embarrassment of the club in his dealings with other transfers – The Dildo bros fiasco with Sporting Lisbon, the fake interest every transfer window.
The bloke is a total two bob spiv who will remembered for destroying the soul of this great club and it’s real fans.
Upton Park sale money paid off loans no doubt to the owners in part. But 40m isn’t exactly a King’s ransom in Premier League terms. Every owner’s money pumped into a club is listed as loans- grow up. If they do go, they’ll make money because the club is a far more appealing prospect now to investors (e.g. Kretinsky). Are they not entitled to profit from their business dealings? Do a deep dive into all the Premier League owners and see how clean and charitable they are.
So because there are other shysters out there don’t moan about ours?
Did the Leicester fans love the guy who delivered the Prem?
Chelsea no doubt hate Abramavich?
Bournemouth’s chairman is revered as a god – a club with a 10,000 seater stadium playing football we can only dream off and in with a real shout at Europe?
Brentford, Fulham, Brighton, all significantly smaller than us in terms of finance but infinitely better run –
City, maybe dubious looking now but was 4 successive Prems maybe worth it?
How hard can it be to make money as Premier League club owner and still not be a piece of parasitic vermin?
Yep defo down to Sully and Gold we’re in the top 20. Nothing to do with the tv money going from £305m for the first 5 years of the EPL, to now standing at £6.7bn for the next 4 seasons. I’d argue the top 20 status should actually be higher given we’re 4th biggest club in London.
Still great to see they have reinvested in the ground we don’t own, and the training ground, youth development at Chadwell Heath.
Yep cracking owners. Next level stuff.
I agree with you though I do feel Potter is likely to be a safe pair of hands to help us change our style while managing the board.
Am excited if we can get it done, suspect it may need a clear out of many older players, Emerson. Cresswell, Coufal, Antonio, Ings, Fullkrug, Paqueta, Areola to name a few
Bring on the kids and have all the teams play the same way so it’s easier to transition from youth teams to first team
The kids have to be ready. The most recent crops after Declan Rice, didn’t produce anyone that might now be West Ham first team regulars
Diangana, Cullen, Coventry, Oko-Flex, Perkins, Ashby, Baptiste, Alesi, Ekwah, Appiah-Forson, Chesters and Longelo, etc all moved on and now play in the lower divisions…..
There’s a chance, I suppose for Earthy, Potts, Scarles, Marshall, Casey, Orford and others, if they can step up.
Please remind me of the years this club was great and money was free flowing . I have been going home and away for 47yrs + we have never been any different. Your all go on about leaks of info on players etc that’s the same at every club who plays in premiership.