When I heard the news that former England manager Gareth Southgate was being linked with Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham job, I had to double-check the date.
Was it April 1st? Had I somehow woken up in a parallel universe? The answer to both was no, of course, but the suggestion was so preposterous that it was worth double-checking just in case.
I won’t insult your intelligence by listing Southgate’s CV because anyone reading this will be fully aware of his achievements and limitations. But suffice it to say, the waistcoated Three Lions boss was often compared unfavourably with former Hammers gaffer David Moyes due to his cautious approach.
Southgate was the butt of an amusing meme campaign during the European Champions which carried the #playitsafe hashtag. It was all good humoured stuff but some naturally took offence on his behalf, however the overriding complaint from England fans was that Gareth was just too cautious.
You can’t be too careful! Southgate was the centre of the #playitsafe summer meme frenzy
Like Southgate, under-pressure West Ham head coach Lopetegui is also likened to Moyes, with many accusing the club board of hiring a “Tapas Moyesie” rather than a new manager with a more adventurous style. So, one can only imagine the outcry if the Hammers’ hierarchy appointed the overly cautious Southgate as Loppy’s successor.
I really wouldn’t worry about it, though. The story is clearly fabricated and has no grounding in reality. Ordinarily, we would check such things with our sources within the club, but quite frankly, I’m embarrassed to even ask.
Southgate to West Ham? It could never happen… could it?
This won’t happen because Sullivan won’t pay Loptegui out of his contract. We’ll have the inevitable ‘he needs 3 points in the next 5 games’ scenario playing out until the of his contract, unless we’re totally cut off at the bottom. We had exactly the same under Moyes, which is a joke way to run the club – either the manager is good enough and you back him, or he isn’t.
If we did sack him and got Southgate, I think i’d genuinely be done with this club after 35 years. There’s only so much mismanagement at the hands of David Sullivan I could take and until that clueless idiot leaves, we’re never going to progress
Sullivan won’t sack JL he went against what the rest thought was a very bad move but for Sullivan it was about money JL didn’t cost him anything so being the tight fisted bar steward he opted for him now he has to stick with him as he never puts his hands up and say he got it wrong I can’t see JL turning things around he seems to be upsetting the players and he certainly seems to have a major issue with kudus we all know just how good kudus is and we know how bad JL is he needs to go no other club would continue with him as head coach given how he’s made top quality players look like amateurs
If we got Southgate, you know Kalvin Philips would be his first transfer
From where exactly did you hear this news Gonzo????
St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, Old Street, London doesn’t exist as far as I know.
I don’t want Southgate but At least with Southgate it wouldn’t be so easy to play through our midfield and we might get some hardworking players like Bowen in the team. Players like Flyn Downes and James Ward Prowse. Whatever happened to them?