Julen Lopetegui wasn’t West Ham’s first choice to replace David Moyes last summer, but he won over club chairman David Sullivan during the interview process.
West Ham fans, who often have a keen sense of what’s best for their team, initially had their hopes pinned on Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim. The club held public discussions with Amorim even before Moyes’ departure, a move that reportedly frustrated the Scotsman so much that he barred West Ham’s technical director Tim Steidten from first-team activities. Ultimately, Amorim stayed at Sporting.
Supporters were eager for a fresh, modern approach to football and were disappointed when the club’s pursuit of Amorim fell through. Other high-profile managers, including Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick, and Paulo Fonseca, were then linked to the role.
Fonseca, in particular, garnered strong interest from the fans. Having previously interviewed for the position while at Lille, Fonseca was viewed as a promising option due to his success in Ligue 1. At that point, Lopetegui was also on West Ham’s shortlist but seemed poised to take over at AC Milan—until Milan rescinded their offer following fan protests.
With Amorim out of the running, many supporters rallied behind Fonseca. A smaller petition circulated among fans when Lopetegui emerged as the front-runner after Milan dropped out.
In the end, Fonseca went on to join AC Milan, and West Ham appointed Lopetegui, much to the disappointment of some fans. While Lopetegui’s start in east London hasn’t been perfect, there have been promising signs of progress. Now, with Fonseca reportedly facing the sack at Milan, David Sullivan may feel vindicated for going against the wishes of the supporters.
Fonseca, who has been linked with West Ham in the past, is reportedly already on the verge of being sacked by AC Milan.
Milan have had a poor start to the season, managing just one win—a 4-0 victory over Venezia. They previously drew 2-2 with both Torino and Lazio, and recently suffered a 2-1 defeat to Parma.
In the Champions League, Milan were convincingly beaten by Liverpool, with the 3-1 scoreline flattering them.
According to reports from outlets like Football Italia, Fonseca’s position is now in jeopardy. It is suggested that he could be sacked if Milan fail to secure a decisive win against their fierce rivals, Inter Milan, this weekend.
However, the odds are stacked against him, as Inter remain unbeaten in all competitions and recently held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw.
Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui’s start at West Ham has been mixed, but it has been more promising than Fonseca’s at Milan. West Ham owner David Sullivan may feel vindicated in his decision to appoint Lopetegui over Fonseca, while Milan may now regret missing out on Lopetegui.
GET MORE CONTENT HERE
Leave a Reply