Julen Lopetegui’s closest media ally has launched a passionate defence of the under-fire West Ham manager, as a war of words at the club shows no signs of cooling down.
Earlier today, Hammers Chat Patreon revealed that Lopetegui would not take his reputation being besmirched quietly. Enter Guillem Balague—his friend and former Sky Sports presenter—who has taken to social media to defend him.
Balague’s cryptic statement hints at accusations of someone behind the scenes deliberately stoking the flames. As Lopetegui’s position becomes increasingly precarious, tensions are mounting. The Spaniard appears to have reached his breaking point as rumours swirl that his removal from the manager’s seat is imminent.
Lopetegui has been under immense pressure in recent days, exacerbated by the banning of Tim Steidten from the training ground over perceived conflicts of interest. Steidten, present when David Sullivan interviewed Paulo Fonseca last Friday, reportedly raised suspicions within Lopetegui’s camp—a detail the current manager was quick to learn.
This comes amid whispers of internal sabotage, with allegations of a figure within the club undermining the manager’s authority among players. Disputes with Mohammed Kudus, Jean-Clair Todibo, Niclas Füllkrug, and Alphonse Areola have only deepened the fractures in the dressing room, leaving “Team Lopetegui” convinced that all is not well at West Ham.
Lopetegui and pal Balague
Lopetegui’s Last Stand: Balague Fires Back in Hammers Feud
As the fallout escalates, Balague has added fuel to the fire with his take on the situation. Here’s what he had to say about Lopetegui:
“There is always another side to every story.
Sullivan and Lopetegui spoke this morning. Everyone is aware the team is not fulfilling expectations, and nobody knows what might happen in the next few hours or days.
Lopetegui is working hard preparing the Villa game and will work hard till the last day, whenever that is. But he has not been sacked at this point.
The plan continues to be a transformation of the style of the team towards a more modern, versatile one. There are green shoots that suggest things could improve if you want to see the bottle half full.
But, surprisingly, inside the camp, petrol has been thrown onto the fire, feeding doubts of fans instead of everyone being on the same boat and supporting the leadership.
I insist on the idea that Lopetegui, a top European manager, has been treated very harshly. But that is football today. Everyone knows more, and nobody wants to be wrong.
Let’s imagine a couple of wins for West Ham. It could take them to the top ten. #justsaying”
The drama continues to unfold, and all eyes will be on West Ham as the situation develops. Expect more mud to be slung before this saga concludes.
Just go’s to show that someone of these supposed reporters no naff all about the Premier league, the widow twanky could have done, a beeter job than loopylou his tactics, his team selections, his inability to manage players, playing players out of position, ye gods his even worse than this labour party, i don’t understand the geezer at all, no one wants him here no one likes him, so why doest he f off back to Spain were he, failed with real and there national team.. He is a, claa act that, but only in failure if there was a gold medal for that he’d be, a, shoe in.
who’s throwing petrol on the fire from within the camp then? Steidten? The players? Sully? Mark noble? Wouldn’t be surprised if Nobes was annoyed with lack of game time for academy players.
‘reputation being besmirched’ is that a West Ham failure or a Wolverhampton Wanderers failure? His reputation wasn’t that good when he walked out on Wolves without warning!
Why on earth would Sullivan, or Noble for that matter, throw fuel on the flames? It’s obviously Steidten, who did the same with Moyes. He needs to go, now.
I would hope that whoever replaces Lopetegui insists that the German slings his hook first.
Agreed D … been saying for ages to bring in some academy players …⚒️
If Balague is a true friend he needs to have a word in JLo’s ear and explain his discrepancies at running a football team.
Shambolic and taking money under false pretences.
How can he not see the obvious.
If he was not so thick skinned he would listen to the critics and try to male improvements.
I’m not watching westham all the time they keep this man in charge idont want or like him around our club totally ruined our club get rid
Flop and his mates talk complete gibberish. Time to go, if he had any self-respect he would’ve gone after Leicester defeat. The job is clearly not right for him and his crew.
I really do not understand why people who claim to be supporters of WHU are more concerned about Lopetegui’s feelings than they are about the awful mess he has made of the club. Steidten may have played his part but he does not pick the team or determine match tactics, where Lopetegui does and he has failed. Mr. Balaque’s opinion on anything is no more relevant than mine and so he should quit stirring and butt out. As I have said all along, deal with the coach issue first, one step at a time, until it looks like things are working.
“Imagine a couple of wins”. Yes, that is what you need “imagination”. I don’t have much of that &, at present, I can’t see where these “couple of imagined wins’ will come from ! However, I agree with everything else that you have written about this situation – which is, obviously, a very regrettable one. This club is being seen by the whole football fraternity as a laughing stock; & not for the first time, either ! Whatever needs to happen must be done with the utmost expedition. For everyones’ sake.
Potter was content to take a six month contract with two year option. Then Everton stepped in and now he wants the full 2.5 years up front, believing he now has the negotiating hand! Well if he doesn’t trust himself to deliver, why should we? Let him run off the scouseland and move on to the next candidate. Can’t be paying compo to 2 managers simultaneously after all…..
All gossip and rumours as usual?
Even if we win our next five games he still isn’t right for West Ham. I was so happy when I read that he’d gone but he’s still here. What’s going on???
This manager has absolutely nothing to do with the academy so can’t see the talent there.
He’s shipping more goals than Moyes and they’re both supposedly defensive coaches.
Stietden is a snake in the grass, no coincidence that Moyes got him away from the team as well, he was poking his nose in with the players on match day and has listened to the prima Donna’s that have recently signed ( all his signings). He needs rid of as well, he’s a big problem.
At least treat the man with some respect, pay up and get rid then move on quickly.
Sullivan is an absolute disgrace and has killed everything this once proud club stood for.
Even Arteta cant win the PL. LOPETEGUI is not a World Coach is a mediocre one. The best solution for West Ham is Potter and we need 10 players most of them come from Championship , where always we bring best our players: Creswell, Antonio, Bowen and even Sumerville! We need to sale ASAP: Paqueta and Kudus and give ride of 7/8 players!
We need strong defenders and midfilders , english, scotish, irish or wales. No more substitutes from Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham!!
We need also a good goalkeeper!
We can save this season if we change the mess of the scott and Lopetegui
Absolute shambles and joke of a club.
If Lopetegui has anything about him he should walk away,yes we all know he’s been awful and shouldn’t of had the job in the first place but the way this whole drawn out affair of is he going to be sacked yes/no,he’s got 2 more games,he’s in charge for the Villa game,honestly Sullivan is an embarrassment.
Any club that’s run properly would of done everything behind closed doors not airing all your laundry in public.
Sullivan is a disgrace and he’s killed our club
So where are these two supposedly wins coming from five wins in 20 games are hardly hope that things will get better when it clearly isn’t, falling out with 5 players getting more yellows than the players hardly fills the fanbase with enthusiasm does it ,the team looks unbalanced constantly playing players out of position and not knowing your preferred lineup, all this adds up proof that he clearly isn’t the coach we were led to believe he was and he really needs to go
Totally agree with everything you wrote… sums up my thoughts ……. Also bring in some of our academy players ……⚒️⚒️
Whether we like JLO or not still doesn’t mean he should be treated this way? I never wanted him but obviously our poisoned dwarf got him on the cheap and offered him a contract. Why should JLO walk away for free? Which is what they’re trying to do. Make it so bad for him that he resigns and Sully doesn’t have to pay him off. Fcuk that, he signed him for a set time and if he wants to cancel the contract then JLO is entitled to compensation just like anywhere else. This crap keeps happening and is so unprofessional and embarrassing, he shook his hand, he signed on the dotted line. Pay up and stop trying to get everything on the cheap/free. It’s more of a soap opera at times than a footy club? I don’t rate JLO and never wanted him at all, but he’s a human being in a very high pressure job. He’s dad has just passed and everyone keeps undermining him and using him as a scapegoat. He never picked the statues (Tim did) but is now taking the blame that they’re slow and not actually that good? Absolute madness!
Our club is in such a mess, it’s all over the place. Pay him off (what he’s owed, contractually)and let’s get someone else in to see if they can get us out of this deep/dark hole asap, otherwise we’ll be in the championship very soon. ⚒️⚒️⚒️⚒️
Well said…The man has done his best…He was employed by Sullivan…If Sullivan wants him gone then pay up his contract now..If Sullivan thinks he is worth keeping then what is this shit show all about?…It smacks of something dodgy going on behind the scenes…Which is about right for West Ham.
Let’s be perfectly clear, West Ham should be 10 points worse off at least, than they are.
All season been totally hopeless, apart from second half Newcastle and Ipswich, and very fortunate VAR calls to boot.
Can’t score from open play, and goals conceded is putting Moyes to shame which I thought was impossible !
Lopetegui is totally clueless and I wish the board would grow some, stop sodding about and sort it out !
What green shoots is he talking about? Only shipping 4 rather than 5 or getting a couple of lucky wins against clubs at the bottom? Nobody wants to see the guy humiliated but we are only heading one way with him in charge and it ain’t into the top 10.
Sorry Balague
All that your post will achieve is the loss of sympathy for your friend Julen
I hope that this saga comes to a swift end and maybe Julen can go somewhere else and prove us wrong
COYI
They just need to get on with it. Stop dilly dallying.
Nonsense! Lopetegui is not only a bad manager! He is a disaster and ruins the talent of the players. He has no clue how to approach the team let alone take the best out of them. His English is woeful but it is not the reason no one understands him but because he has no concept, he has no vision, he has no even basic knowledge and sense how to deal with the team, to create atmosphere and good spirit and to extract the best out of everyone.
Well Gonzo where are these 2 wins coming from? Can’t see us beating Fulham may get a point from Palace and no chance against Villa. By then the other teams get another 4 or 6 points ahead of us, no chance of catching them. Someone been smoking the funny weed again 😒
There is no sign of improvement, we look as walk through as ever. Players have fallen out with Lopetegui nobody else.
The biggest mistake was the appointment in the first place, the next is to have allowed it to drag on for too long. Even at the very end it’s taking too long so has opportunity to become rancourous.
Whatever happened to making a sacking and appointing an interim ? Its far tidier but nothing but nothing has been done right.
” this club isn’t run like a circus anymore ”
Any comment young Marc 😀😀
It’s like a hive of nothing being done right wherever you look. The problems we have are totally self made.
Dead right. Total embarrassment. Take Man United. Manager not getting results, manager changed. No in house brawl, no fall outs nor players and DoF getting involved. We can’t do that without West Ham becoming footballs equivalent to Eastenders. How’s that for irony.
Eastenders have been in contact with Sullivan and told him to stop with all the drama and backstabbing as it ruining there rep as the best plot writers and putting them to shame