Julen Lopetegui is far from my first choice to replace David Moyes as West Ham manager. My main concerns surround his overly cautious (albeit possession-based) style of play and his reputation for not developing academy players.
Therefore, like most, I become a little worried when I read that he is at an advanced stage in negotiations to take over the helm at The London Stadium.
However, I’m not at all comfortable with news of a petition attempting to stop his appointment at West Ham. Being a football fan has never been a position where one has any influence over a club’s recruitment policy. Football, by its very nature, is a sport with differing opinions, so it would be extremely difficult to appoint managers or players by fan committee.
Obviously, I share many people’s trepidation that the Hammers’ hierarchy might get this appointment glaringly wrong. Nonetheless, it is the board’s decision, and as a fan, I can only hope that the likes of David Sullivan and Karren Brady have delegated that task to Tim Steidten.
Ultimately, if the club decides to appoint Julen Lopetegui, then I’ll support the new manager. It would certainly be unhealthy for a new head coach to arrive at work to a chorus of protests and petitions from fans of his new club.
It would begin the whole appointment and chapter in a toxic atmosphere without giving him a chance. The Spaniard could be good, bad or indifferent, but if appointed he surely deserves the chance to succeed or fail by actual results. Surely we can’t have a situation where a manager is punished because of what we suspect he might do?
I’d love to be able to pick West Ham’s next coach, but I also think I know which winger the club should sign too, and I’ve got some interesting ideas on a switch of formation.
Regardless of what I think I know… I’m just a fan and hold little sway over such matters. It’s incredibly important that West Ham’s next manager is not selected by online vote or petition. The club has hired a specialist to decide upon such things, and if he’s deemed that Lopetegui is the best man for the job, then all I can do is hope he’s right.
Protest like Milan fans and maybe Sullivan will hear .
Come to our club because you want to contribute not for the money
or ego .
As tough as it may sound I would prefer to keep Moyes .
At least Moyes still has some level of integrity which Lopetegui lacks .
Onwards and upwards with protest and potions to keep this joker out of our club .
Agrree
I would prefer a manager who has the club at heart, and not thinking of the next pay cheque. Will Still would have been a great appointment but maybe it has come too early for him, he may prove us wrong with his next job. Fonseca would have been my first choice, but we have to trust Tim as he must have had some input in this.
David moyes does have the club at heart .please stay moyes, your the best manager we’ve for years .It takes time to build a successful team.more money and a few more good players. What’s wrong with society today is everybody wants a quick fix.what happened to support your team .Get behind the man give him your support. Another manager will come in and it change everything his players ,background staff etc. Five years of moyesy building down the drain. We’re slowly taking on the big boys. ITS FOOTBALL COME ON GHE HAMMERS…⁹
More money and time? Look how long he’s had and look at the squad we have now, that is all his doing. He can’t handle a big squad, he’s far better off trouble shooting a team, getting them organised and ‘defensive minded’
Your comments are so true. It’s so sad that the whole situation has been so Toxic over Moyes.
I do so support West Ham but am appalled that the negativity of a section of fans are in a self destruct mood.
Where can I find the petition ?
4 years half a billion ££ spent to make the squad worse, old and small and no gateway for for the talented youth to come through and has won 4 games in all competitions in 2024 and plays talent out of position and this guy should stay? The team has not improved. The personnel may have in some areas. Could have made Europe if he had strengthened the team in January and not made it weaker and you think David moyes is the man to take westham forward? 4 years is more than enough time to build a good team but he’s made the team worse. And his desire for Kalvin Phillips which has turned out well. We got talented youth that don’t want to sign new contracts because this bloke don’t give them a way in and you think David should stay and do what?
Totally agree, the youngsters are better than quite a few of this first team squad. Other teams use their youth talent but they are wasted at West Ham while Moyes makes the team selection.
I would like david moyes to stay
I’ve been a west ham fan for over 50 years and david moyes has been the best in my opinion
Yes his style sometimes is questionable but you need tactics to compete against difficult opposition
I love my hammers but will walk away as a fan if david leaves
4 years half a billion ££ spent to make the squad worse, old and small and no gateway for for the talented youth to come through and has won 4 games in all competitions in 2024 and plays talent out of position and this guy should stay? The team has not improved. The personnel may have in some areas. Could have made Europe if he had strengthened the team in January and not made it weaker and you think David moyes is the right man
Walk away if moyes leaves, you sound more like a David moyes fan than a west ham one. Truth be told, moyes plays unattractive football, has played quality players out of position, and stifled there talents. He has not brought through any youth players, and trimmed the squad so much that the entire team are knackered within 70 mins of any game. He’s judgement on acquisitions has been dragged out and ultimately cost us , both better players, and players that have left for a slice of there cost within a season.
Tactically he has no plan b, and doesn’t even make subs when they are required, I’m sorry but if you think moyes is anything other than these things , then perhaps you should support someone else
“It’s incredibly important that West Ham’s next manager is not selected by online vote or petition.”
Of course other clubs do things differently. Germany’s St. Pauli, now looking as if they are getting promoted again back to the first division, is a club where little happens without the support of the fans. Here clubs are mostly the toys of the rich.
Disagree. I think the petition is a great idea. (As long as we don’t start signing petitions for every little thing – that would get out of hand).
If Milan’s fans can convince their club not to sign Loeptegui, why cant West Ham do the same thing?
We’re getting rid of one negative manager not to appoint another one poor
It would be nice if the club would listen to the majority of fans rather than the loud minority but there you go, such is life. Personally I’d rather keep Moyes than have Loperwotsisface in charge.
A typical Sullivan appointment a freebie !Teaboy Tim is a total waste of space .Of course a petition is the answer .Time for another Burnley
Looks like Sullivan has gone for the cheapest option then, and damn the fans. I wonder if he cares that Wolves fans have warned us about him and that he is a bit of a mini Moyes. Of all the names that have been put forward, it looks like Sullivan is getting who he wants. Or is it a case of nobody else wants the job? I wonder how long it will be before Tim Steidten leaves.
Tim strident should stick to his job and not interfer with the managers job the manager picks the team no one else they should all decide on the appo intment of new players Mr moses has done a great job with all the interference let him carry on
Brian, the manager at West Ham is not Moses! He was the leader of the Israelites.
I think you’ve been reading the Holy Bible too much. West Ham’s current leader is David Moyes. Some say that football is more important than religion. And some say that football IS a religion!
You are absolutely on the money
I’m west ham till I die and then I hope there’s a fan base beyond the pearly gates, I’ll support west ham where ever , I have my opinions on who should be manager but that’s it there opinions , the important bit is what happens on the green bit in the middle, I’m proud to be a season ticket holder along with my wife we’ve never left early ,or booed,
I’ve always believed you should loose with dignity, the fans should be proud of there club and remain so what ever happens, you have to take the good times with the bad and hope good times prevail , we don’t know lopewhatshisname might be brilliant for the club ,and amorin a disaster who knows im clean out of crystal balls.
Getting really sick of my fellow WHUFC fans. Everyone is a expert on all these managers. I think it doesn’t matter who gets the job people will still moan. Whoever gets the job I just hope all supporters get behind the manager for a change. I am sick to death of all the *****ing and name calling on social media. We look so pathetic as a fan base , no wonder people are taking the **** out of us.
Totally agree Jason
Stevie Dee you’re having a laugh keep moyes? You said 5 years of building a team down the drain? The problem with moyes is he’s stubborn and won’t change his ways! He’s playing mourinho park the bus football that’s awful to watch.And the reason we can’t beat the big teams when it counts is because we give up possession and wait for the inevitable! Moyes hasn’t built a team or squad that’s been west hams downfall. He flogs the same eleven players every game and they are exhausted.Our subs are oggy(36) cresswell(36) and fabianski(39). He says that he wants west ham to be hard to beat ? We’ve lost numerous games this season by 4/5/6 goals and have the worst defence outside the top three. He was asked why he hadn’t bought a new striker in the last two years and he said because if you get it wrong it will cost me my job! The cup 1/4 final at Anfield was a disgrace and shows that he has nothing about him! 9000 fans went up there midweek and he picked six reserve players and threw the tie.He is only interested in protecting his job and picking up his salary. Has no real ambition to take this club forward and make us a force.
You are 100% correct. I have supported the Hammers for 69 years and this is the most boring football I’ve ever witnessed, only brightened slightly IF we won a game. Conference was good but so was 1964 final, 1965 final, 1975 final, 1980 final and the Liverpool final loss.
At least all of these were entertaining, not to mention the Cottie/MacAvennie years. Get someone who will excite me again before I snuff it. Fonseca for me and by all accounts he’s Tim’s choice
I’m with you 65 yrs support
I am with you 66 yrs supporting
Gonzo you are wrong. Football fans have allowed our game to slip away by saying it’s not our club it’s theirs. We are the ones that have the most vested interest in the club, we are the ones that feel the most pain after a loss, or when a superstar leaves because our style of play is so negative. This is the problem with humanity, we are too happy to sit back and watch things go from bad to worse cos we don’t stand up and be counted. There’s what, a thousand maybe a few more West Ham staff, there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of us fans, if we all stood together that would be a loud enough chorus to make the board listen.
A homeless man once told me this quote: take a pack of pencils, remove the pencils one by one and you’ll snap every one of them. Remove the pencils all together and tell me if you can wrap them all at once. We need to be heard and this ideology that we the paying fans have no voice or no say is beyond ridiculous.
Will said that Danielson79
I don’t disagree mate, but I’m not talking about the identity of the club here. I just believe that the director of football needs to choose the next manager rather than a fan poll. I’d say precisely the same with player transfers . . . surely they have to be scouted and chosen rather than signed via petition.
Confucius said: He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.
He also said: To know your faults and be able to change is the greatest virtue.
And also: He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
If Confucius was here today, he would say “It’s time to go Mr Moyes!”
If he fits in with what direction the club want to go then that’s fine . Everybody singing from the same song book .
What’s the point of Tom Steidten if Sullivan chooses the manager. I heard Steidten and Noble want Amorim. Steidten is the one to. Live ir die by his results so he needs to choose. It now feels like Sullivan is trying to fast track Lopetgui. Fans should protest before he is appointed
I put my name to the petition only to register my disagreement as there has been a swathe of opinion amongst many supporters that they want a new man at the helm who has a different more progressive vision for our football. Replacing Moyes with somebody who seems very similar footballing style and a reluctance to bring through the youth. In that case we may as well stick with Moyes. I don’t think we are trying to pick the new manager we are just showing our dissatisfaction and we all know we could get a great young manager with great ideas and it might be a disaster who knows? But when all the so called experts who are spouting ‘careful what you wish’ if they did pick and it didn’t go well, we can at least say our reservations were there from the start
If they did pick JL and it didn’t go well. Is what I meant
Reading opinions on here , I agree with gonzo.
I don’t want fan polls selecting the next manager , and I don’t want Sullivan and the board to either!
I want Steidten to select exactly who he wants in charge . Without interference.
Definitely not him why replace Moyes for someone exactly the same static boring football no youth and no plan.
Get someone in with a bit of vision don’t trust Sully to ever do what’s right for the club.
Stop the signing of Lopetegui by any means.
The current Ipswich manager should be our target youth and experience with man utd Fan of 68 years
He’s my pick as well
I just wish at least one of you could spell lol
Not only the spelling mistakes(Loose when they mean lose) but also not using punctuation marks and paragraphs.
… and actually get the names right. Who the hell is TOM Steidten? (#John) 🤣
Feel more superior now do we?
I have signed the petition not to try and force Sullivan to change but to indicate that we the supporters are not just wanting Moyes replaced by someone just as bad. If it is definitely a Steidton choice then thats what I am happy to go along with. My season ticket is still on hold!
#Stephen. Is that TOM SteidtOn? 🤣
Stay Moyes are you for real ? Get us a new and superior Manager. No petitions in Steidton we must trust.
Wolves fan here. He ditched us because of FFP after spending a fortune. Threw his dummy out the pram when no money available. Said we would fail. Hey ho look what Gary O’Neil has achieved with inheriting someone else’s squad. Stick to Moyes!
We don’t want another manager who plays boring football like moyes
No matter what you say the board won’t listen there mind is made up unfortunately they don’t have the balls to go for someone bigger and better never have done
Go and get McKenna now…………….
if 700 fans block this move, then we have most idiotic Board ever. Lope is a great coach and best candidate that we have been linked with.
Exactly right Gonzo. No matter how “passionate” any fan might be, at the end of the day, they are still a fan. They do not own the club which is a good thing since they couldn’t afford the annual financial loss that comes with ownership. Our fans have had a hate on for every one of our managers stretching back to Glen Roeder as I recall. Who’d want the job?
Can we have Ted Lasso please?
Ha ha, good one Adam!