caughtoffside
·9 janvier 2025
caughtoffside
·9 janvier 2025
Outspoken pundit, Stan Collymore, has savaged West Ham’s deluded supporters and suggested Graham Potter would’ve been better off going to Everton.
Tuesday night saw the writing on the wall for Lopetegui and it was announced on Thursday morning that Potter had taken over from him, despite it being known that West Ham had spoken to Paulo Fonseca.
The former Brighton and Chelsea manager has been out of football since being sacked by the Blues in April 2023, and will surely be champing at the bit to prove that he still has what it takes to coach a club at the highest level.
His style of football was always pleasing on the eye and that’s likely to be what West Ham fans are expecting.
West Ham fans that Stan Collymore says have got ideas well above their station.
General view outside the stadium as fans arrive prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton at London Stadium. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)
“With West Ham, I think that their supporters, and I say this with the greatest of affection, they’re having themselves,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.
“West Ham fans talk and act as if they’re one of England’s most successful clubs but with one of the smallest trophy cabinets in that club size bracket.”
The former Forest and Liverpool hit-man didn’t stop there with his condemnation of the East Londoners either.
“Everton would be the better destination for him, moving into a new stadium, new ownership etc,” he added with regards to Potter’s appointment.
“I don’t think at the moment anybody at West Ham is going to turn things around and into something akin to what Unai Emery has done at Villa.
“West Ham aren’t an attractive enough catch for an Unai Emery type and the cachet isn’t there yet, even with the Conference League win.
“Graham Potter and his coaching style… he’s just a pure coach and not a manager, not a ‘come follow me’ type.
“Everton, with a new stadium, a new start and given that they haven’t had great football there for a while.. if Graham Potter could get them playing something like the kind of football that he did at Brighton, Evertonians would lap it up.
“West Ham are just a club that needs to take a look at itself and where it’s pitching itself really.”
Whilst not exactly a scathing assessment of the Irons, it’s certainly a withering put down from a pundit who is known for speaking his mind.
Potter certainly has his work cut out in trying to deliver success at the London Stadium, and he comes in at arguably the club’s lowest ebb for a few years.
David Moyes, for all of his safety first approach, ensured his side were European regulars and brought silverware to the table.
For Potter to be considered a success, he’ll need to build on that and reverse the opinions of people like Collymore.
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