Sky Sports pundit doubts whether West Ham fans will accept a ‘failure’ as Lopetegui’s replacement.
Dan Bardell suggests West Ham will delay sacking Julen Lopetegui and may replace him with Graham Potter, though he doubts the move will be well-received by fans.
Julen Lopetegui secured his position at West Ham for at least another week with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wolves on December 9.
However, a poor result in their upcoming match against Bournemouth could make his tenure in East London untenable.
Sky Sports and talkSPORT journalist Bardell believes Graham Potter could replace Lopetegui, but suggests the club will likely wait for a serious crisis before making a managerial change.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, Bardell commented, “I don’t think Lopetegui is the right man to lead them forward.
Given the way they hired him, West Ham will give him every chance and will only make a change when they’re in real danger.”
Bardell sees Potter as a viable candidate, noting his availability and the fit with West Ham’s current squad. “He ticks a lot of boxes,” he said.
“If you look at the players they have, he’s a decent fit.
Although his time at Chelsea is seen as a failure by some, I’m not sure fans will be keen on bringing in a ‘Chelsea flop.'”
Despite this, Bardell believes Potter could be a good match for the club, given the squad’s characteristics.
Potter, the former Brighton manager, has been linked with the role at West Ham and is reportedly “on standby” should the club decide to part ways with Lopetegui.
However, such a decision would only occur if the club chooses to act quickly after a poor run of results.
The fanbase has already expressed dissatisfaction with Lopetegui’s style of play and the disappointing results under his leadership.
Potter’s tactical approach could offer something fresh, making him an attractive option for West Ham, even considering his previous Chelsea tenure.
