Andoni Iraola has surged into contention as a potential successor to under-fire West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui.
With Lopetegui under mounting pressure ahead of Monday night’s crucial Premier League clash against Newcastle, speculation surrounding his future is intensifying. The Spaniard’s job appears to hang by a thread, and bookmakers are constantly adjusting the odds on who might replace him.
Attention has turned to Bournemouth manager Iraola, who has impressed in his short time in England. But it’s his stellar track record in Spain that makes him a standout candidate.
In 2021, Iraola guided Rayo Vallecano to La Liga promotion and established them as a competitive force, even pushing for European qualification—a remarkable feat for a club accustomed to battling relegation. His attractive, effective style of play drew widespread acclaim.
Before that, Iraola made waves at Mirandés, a second-division side he led to the Copa del Rey semi-finals in 2019. This success earned him a move to Vallecano, where he further enhanced his reputation by toppling Barcelona three times and Real Madrid once during his tenure. Incredible.
Known for his tactical versatility, Iraola has a knack for taping into the potential of wide players and adapting his team’s approach based on the game’s demands, balancing possession play with a more direct style when needed. In essence, the Bournemouth gaffer is something of a pragmatist and not wedded to a single ideology.
There is little doubt in my mind that Iraola would get West Ham moving in the right direction both in the short and the long-term. He is contracted until the end of next season meaning his compensation package should not be too prohibitive either.
In all the articles you post you continously use the term you have no doubt that whatever it is your talking about will absolutely be great for west ham and work out well for us. Personally I can’t remember one such statement from you that has worked out at all well for us. Maybe if you can remember one you could remind us of it. If you can’t can I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself in future as it seems to me that like lopetugui you don’t have a clue.
Here Here!
look who’s back, pretending to be all level-headed…the doomsayer who never has anything to say about football, or sonething positive about anything for that matter. what a festering sore!
Whose lap have you been sitting on?
Iraola needs a little time to get going and Westham have none especially if LOSEpetegui is given through Christmas . Unfortunately Westham must be pragmatic and employ a coach who can hit the road running so that Westham don’t get relegated . LOSEpetegui has set back Westham 1-2 years if there’s no relegation and 5 years if Westham succumb . Sullivan is an old fossil and must step aside and allow Kretinsky to modernize Westham’s management systems .
Would that include Kretinsky taking Sullivan for a visit to the Natural History Museum and leaving him there?
Loppy should have gone 2 weeks ago
Karma would likely dictate that he’ll get sacked after a meek surrender against his old club, Wolves.
Reckon they’d love that, their fans.
I’m not certain Sullivan will sack after the next two. He’ll probably think anyone can lose against Newcastle and Arsenal. But if we lose the supposed winnable games that follow he may have no choice.
all these names being touted around, we aint got rid of avram mk 2 yet and the midget kept avram the 1st til the bitter end.
outa line, d!psh!t
Resident Stalker alert!
It has not taken long for the West Ham faithful to become disillusioned with the characterless Lopetequi. He does seem to have made things much worse than under Moyes ,who was rightfully replaced,,but not for the better . The many new signings began as strangers and remain so. We need to sort this out fast or we will be in real trouble .
Lets hope the knives arent out for him as quick as loppy, his bournemouth team was absolutely hopeless for the first 10 games under him
True, and I really thought the Cherries would sack him. But the club must have seen a spark or something. And now look at them. One place above us. I’m not convinced that he would be worth Sullivan opening his wallet, particularly with a compensation payment required, however small.
I really cuss see any manager giving up as manager in stable club for the absolute chaos at West Ham yes we are a huge club with a huge following but we have become a liability that’s going to need a top class manager to sort things out things got bad under moyes but there a whole lot worse now even though it’s been clear for a blind person to see that Sullivan wanted to give JL more time most clubs would have sacked him long before now it’s clear he doesn’t have a clue what he is doing
“Sullivan wanted to give JL more time most clubs would have sacked him long before now it’s clear he doesn’t have a clue what he is doing”
Who doesn’t have a clue what he is doing – Sullivan, Lopetegui or both?
Maybe I can answer anyway. It’s BOTH!
Will Sullivan pay compo for a manager – I doubt it.
Made up nonsense
Why wouldn’t he leave Bournemouth for West Ham his wages will probably double massive crowds and make no mistake we have some decent players albeit leggy in midfield
Why is it that if you are a premier league manager,and very well paid to do that job…but as soon as it goes tits up you want a settlement to relieve you of your post….my boss wouldn’t pay me to leave if I wasn’t doing my job..
Why would he swap a mid table premier side for another?
Why would Iraola leave a stable mid-table side to take the reins at our club when it’s a shambles from top to bottom. While Lopetegui has been a disastrous appointment, and will no doubt lose his job, all the problems at our club are not solely down to him. Those issues will persist after he’s gone and the new manager, Iraola or whoever, will have to deal with that.
Bang on. It’s deep rooted, and until Sully and everything to do with him are gone, we won’t progress. He is a control freak, del boy, wheeler dealer, who wants to make money not progress.
Indeed. Another case of flip-flopping information. If we DON’T pay compensation for ANY manager, what is the purpose of this post?
No chance of that happening.
Whos the cheapest option out there ?
It’s Sullivan at the end of the day so whoever is cheap that’s who we will get if he sacks Lopetegui which I’m worried he wont
Yeah but C&H’s TOP SOURCE insists that it’s club policy that we do not pay compensation. Ever. whether its five million or a fiver. CLUB POLICY.
Indeed. Another case of flip-flopping information. If we DON’T pay compensation for ANY manager, what is the purpose of this post?
A cynic might suggest it’s done purely for clicks. But I’m not a cynical individual so you’ll not hear that from me.
I don’t think he’s a bad call, Gonzo, but we need something to happen now not later, like
Tuesday morning after Newcastle have stuffed us…
Just reading Leicester have sacked Steve Cooper – that worries me, knowing how Sully works ! 😫