West Ham appoint former Chelsea supervisor as Lopetegui substitute

West Ham have appointed former Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea Metropolis supervisor Graham Potter as Julen Lopetegui’s substitute after ending the Spaniard’s six-month reign on Wednesday.

Englishman Potter, who has signed a two-and-a-half 12 months contract, has spent greater than 21 months out of soccer since leaving Stamford Bridge, the place his reign lasted lower than seven months in the course of the 2022/23 season, together with 11 defeats in 31 matches.

The 49-year-old may have the possibility to finish his new membership’s two-match shedding run when West Ham go to Aston Villa within the FA Cup third spherical on Friday (8pm GMT).

The Hammers return to Premier League motion at dwelling to ninth-placed Fulham on January 14 (7.30pm) earlier than the go to of Crystal Palace – at the moment one place under them – 4 days later (4pm).

Potter’s first league away recreation may also be at Villa on January 26 (4.30pm).

West Ham United is delighted to welcome Graham Potter because the Membership’s new Head Coach ⚒️

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 9, 2025

Graham Potter document

Potter joined Chelsea in September 2022 from Brighton, the place he constructed a fame for a progressive fashion of soccer and talent to nurture younger expertise in his first Premier League job.

The Seagulls have been fourth within the desk after six video games of Potter’s fourth season in cost, and Chelsea by no means eclipsed that place throughout his transient tenure, sitting eleventh on the time of his departure.

Chelsea’s most interesting achievement below Potter was a run of 4 consecutive wins within the Champions League group stage and overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 within the spherical of 16, though they have been knocked out by Actual Madrid following his sacking.

Underneath Potter, Albion loved their highest ever closing place of ninth with the assistance of 5 wins and one defeat within the closing 9 matches of 2021/22, overcoming a hunch of six consecutive defeats and just one aim between February and March.

Brighton completed fifteenth in Potter’s first marketing campaign in 2019/20 and sixteenth on the finish of the following season, navigating going greater than a 12 months with out a dwelling league win between 2020 and 2021.

Lopetegui sacked

Lopetegui, whose profession consists of managerial roles with Spain, Actual Madrid, Porto, Wolves and Sevilla, was named as David Moyes’ substitute in Might, however defeats in his first three dwelling video games contributed to the 58-year-old swiftly dealing with stress.

He oversaw a internet spend of £85.2 million in the course of the summer time however misplaced 9 and received six of his 20 league video games, with West Ham 14th after their 4-1 defeat at Manchester Metropolis on Saturday, seven factors above the relegation zone.

Moyes received West Ham’s first European trophy since 1965 by lifting the 2022/23 Convention League as a part of a second spell on the helm lasting four-and-a-half years.