BUBBLE'S BURST
Julen Lopetegui finally SACKED by shambolic West Ham despite taking training with Graham Potter set to replace him
His time in charge has been plagued by disagreements behind-the-scenes
WEST HAM have finally SACKED manager Julen Lopetegui after just seven months in charge.
Former Chelsea boss Graham Potter is set to replace the Spaniard at the London Stadium.
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West Ham confirmed the news in a statement that : "The first half of the 2024/25 season has not aligned with the club’s ambitions and the club has therefore taken action in line with its objectives.
"The club can confirm that assistant head coach Pablo Sanz, head of performance Oscar Caro, head analyst Juan Vicente Peinado, fitness coach Borja De Alba and technical coach Edu Rubio have also left with immediate effect.
"The board would like to thank Julen and his staff for their hard work during their time with the Hammers and wish them every success for the future.
"The process of appointing a replacement is underway."
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Potter's first game in charge is set to be against Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday night.
Lopetegui's time at the helm comes to an end following a shambolic week that saw him continue to take training today while his successor pens his contract.
The ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss, who replaced David Moyes in the summer, managed just six wins in 20 Premier League matches and leaves the club 14th in the table.
Defending has been a problem for West Ham, with only Wolves (45), Leicester and Southampton (both on 44) conceding more than their 39 in the league this season.
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Nine of those goals against have come in the last two games to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Defeat in Lopetegui's final game at the Etihad marked the ninth time this season they had conceded three or more goals.
Graham Potter admits he's 'looking at things' as speculation intensifies that he'll replace Julen Lopetegui at West Ham
Things are also believed to have turned sour behind-the-scenes, with rumoured fall outs with key players and technical director Tim Steidten.
Steidten, who also had a mixed relationship with Moyes, stepped away from the training ground after sounding out alternatives managers last month.
Their already tense relationship had deteriorated and other club chiefs have been frustrated at both figures.
There was supposedly a split in the boardroom over whether to axe Lopetegui earlier in the season.
Steidten also now faces an uncertain future and his influence on the January transfer window has been diluted as owner David Sullivan takes a leading role.
The Hammers spent £127.5million in the summer window but sit just seven points above the relegation zone.
This time last year after 20 games West Ham were sixth in the league on 34 points.
Potter joins West Ham, having been out of work since he left Chelsea in April 2023, following a successful three years at Brighton.
He is looking to initially bring up to four of his own coaching staff with him, while long-term goalkeeping coach, Xavi Valero, has stayed.
Lopetegui v Potter: The stats
Graham Potter
Career win rate: 38.6 %
Games managed: 440 games
Premier League win rate: 28.3 %
Honours: Swedish Cup Winner (2016/17)
Clubs managed: Ostersund, Swansea, Brighton, Chelsea
Julen Lopetegui
Career win rate: 54.9%
Games managed: 419 games
Premier League win rate: 34.4 per cent
Honours: Europa League (2019/20), U19 & U20 Euros
Clubs managed: Rayo Vallencano, Spain Youth, Porto, Spain, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Wolves, West Ham
Lopetegui's West Ham nightmare
Lopetegui, 58, was close to the sack before the game at Newcastle on November 25. But an impressive 2-0 victory bought him more time.
Yet West Ham failed to push on, winning only TWO games since then - against relegation prospects Wolves and Southampton.
Fans have turned on Lopetegui, chanting "you're getting sacked in the morning" at their own boss during the 3-1 defeat to Leicester.
His reign ended with him taking training today after axing a team bonding dinner last night.
Julen Lopetegui's disastrous reign
By Jack Figg
JULEN LOPETEGUI replaced David Moyes in May 2024 ready to start a new reign at West Ham - now it's over before it even got started.
The former Spain manager arrived in London with the experience of working with big stars - but his reputation in England needed mending.
He won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2020 - joining Wolves two years later.
But Lopetegui left after one season having guided Wolves to 13th but walking out over their financial constraints.
Following a year out of work, the ex-Real Madrid player agreed to take over from Moyes - who only 12 months earlier led them to the Europa Conference League trophy.
But Lopetegui got off to a horror start to life in London, going winless in his first four matches.
That is despite spending £123m on signings with the likes of Maximilian Kilman, Niclas Fullkrug and Aaron Wan-Bissaka arriving in the summer.
And Lopetegui's tenure hit an all-time low following a 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool and 4-1 defeat at Man City.
The Hammers board had seen enough and started to draw up potential replacements after deciding to sack Lopetegui.
Lopetegui is furious with how his exit has week has played out.
Away from on the pitch challenges, he has not had a trouble-free time off it.
West Ham have had to battle through Michail Antonio's horrific car crash that has ruled him out out for the foreseeable.
Hammers youth goalkeeper Oscar Fairs also died aged 15 following a battle with cancer.
Lopetegui's father Jose also sadly passed away at the age of 94 last month after suffering from health problems.
As well as falling out with Steidten, there were also reportedly half-time bust-ups with Jean-Clair Todibo and Mohammed Kudus.
Lopetegui's worst West Ham moments
- West Ham 1-3 Man City (Prem)
- West Ham 0-3 Chelsea (Prem)
- Liverpool 5-1 West Ham (Carabao Cup)
- Tottenham 4-1 West Ham (Prem)
- Nottingham Forest 3-0 West Ham (Prem)
- West Ham 2-5 Arsenal (Prem)
- Leicester 3-1 West Ham (Prem)
- West Ham 0- 5 Liverpool (Prem)
- Man City 4-1 West Ham (Prem)
West Ham appointed Lopetegui due to his success at Sevilla, where he won the Europa League and got them regularly competing towards the top of LaLiga.
He also had Premier League experience at Wolves in the 2022/23 season as he guided them to safety from relegation.
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But he quit after a disagreement with the Molineux club's owners due to a lack of transfer activity and "differences of opinion".
Lopetegui replaced Moyes, who has legendary status in East London after ending their 43-year trophy drought with Europa Conference League glory.
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He also guided them to a Europa League semi and quarter-final, as well as a sixth and seventh place finish in the Prem.
But he left when his contract was up last summer, with the club wanting to change the style of play.
Graham Potter's Premier League return
Graham Potter is back in the Premier League nearly two years on from his Chelsea sack.
Potter has replaced Julen Lopetegui at West Ham following the Spaniard's horror start to the season.
It ends Potter's 20-month wait for a job, having also been linked with the Manchester United and England jobs.
The former defender started his coaching career in 2011 in Sweden with Östersunds FK - winning league and cup competitions.
He then took over at Swansea in 2018 for one season in the Championship - finishing in 10th.
Potter left Wales after just a year to replace Chris Hughton at Brighton where he would make his name.
His best finish with the Seagulls was ninth place in 2022 but he joined Chelsea just months later in the September.
Potter had replaced Thomas Tuchel, just a season after the German won the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
But Potter was axed seven months into the job with Chelsea left sitting in 11th.
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