Fara Williams has urged West Ham United to “stick with” Julen Lopetegui, despite a disappointing start to the season under the former Real Madrid and Wolves manager.
Lopetegui was brought in to replace David Moyes at the London Stadium after the Scotsman’s contract wasn’t renewed following the end of last season.
However, the Spaniard has struggled to get his team firing in the early stages of the Premier League campaign.
BBC Sport pundit Williams, speaking on Football Focus on Saturday (28 September), acknowledged that while Moyes was perhaps treated unfairly during his final months at West Ham, it would be unwise for the club to part ways with Lopetegui so soon into his tenure.
“You’ve made a big decision, the way that Moyesy was treated was very disrespectful in my opinion,” said Williams. “I think you have to stick with him, give him time. He has to rebuild this team and the fans are booing him off already, they’re not happy.”
Despite the pressure on Lopetegui, Williams is firm in her belief that West Ham must remain patient with their new manager, particularly given the significant investment made during the summer transfer window.
The club spent heavily to revamp the squad, but it’s still unclear whether the recruitment was led by Lopetegui or Tim Steidten, the club’s technical director.
Regardless, the Spaniard was involved, and it would be premature to consider a change so early in the season after such an overhaul.
As Williams suggests, a sudden shift in the dugout would leave the club back at square one, without any obvious candidates waiting in the wings. A return to Moyes for a third stint would also seem unwise.
For now, the hope is that results will begin to improve in the coming weeks, which could help Lopetegui win back the support of the fans. A few positive results would go a long way in restoring belief in the project and bringing supporters back onside.