The mud slinging seems to have started. Whilst on the pitch Graham Potter has taken over as head coach at West Ham United and is now dealing with the challenge of injuries, squad weaknesses and the visit of Fulham in just 3 days, off the field, the recriminations from Julen Lopetegui’s dismissal are growing.
The specific piece that sportwitness refer to is a scathing article from as.com, penned by Spanish Sports Journalist and presumably Lopetegui ally Aritz Gabilondo.
This week Lopetegui left West Ham. It had been brewing, but the way it was done was horrible. The sporting director, who is supposedly being removed, negotiated with other coaches and the owner, with whom Julen had a friendly meeting the day before, gave in. It does not speak well of his conduct. The problem at that club, believe me, is not the coach.’
Ouch. Sadly, all too common in football now, as Sean Dyche just discovered to his cost. There seem to be no standards, no ethics, no decencies. Many would say that’s why the coaches are paid the millions, to take what is given to them, work with it while they can and then take the money and walk away when their time is up.
I suspect there is a lot more to come out on this story, particularly from the players’ side in respect of the fallings out, the mistakes and bust-ups. And I’ll just raise a red flag at the line:”The sporting director, [as he incorrectly labels Technical Director Tim Steidten] who is supposedly being removed“: Does Gabilondo claim to know something we don’t?
