West Ham create another farce – but Graham Potter offers intriguing escape route
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Lopetegui’s dismissal was an open secret days before it was made public – as were negotiations with Potter, his prospective successor. Farewell, Julen Lopetegui. You leave West Ham as you arrived: unwanted by fans, and even by technical director Tim Steidten, it seems. Yet perhaps even the most ardent anti-Lopetegui voices would admit to feeling a degree of sympathy for the Spaniard.
![[Julen Lopetegui (left) is expected to be replaced by Graham Potter at West Ham]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/08/16/west-ham-trainer-indycomp.jpg)
The manager’s dismissal by West Ham was an open secret days before it was made public, as were negotiations with his prospective successor Graham Potter, yet still Lopetegui turned up to take training. Why wouldn’t he have? He was still employed. It is not a kind way to conduct business, though many successful figures would tell you that business is rarely kind. And Lopetegui’s exit is just business.
![[Potter at West Ham’s London Stadium, during his time as Chelsea coach]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/08/08/bb3e809fe474047cd52905f16654d64fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2NDEwNTI2-2.70948187.jpg)
In truth, the manner in which it played out should come as little surprise – least of all to Lopetegui, who was interviewed to replace David Moyes in May, before the Scot’s future was declared as separate from the club’s. Or, ‘the Club’s’, per a statement on Wednesday. “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,” was West Ham’s explanation of this week’s events. “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.”.
