West Ham Manager Lopetegui Dismisses Speculation Regarding His Future

Julen Lopetegui, who secured 10 victories in 27 matches while managing Wolves during the 2022-23 season, has stated he is “not listening” to rumors concerning his position at West Ham following a disappointing beginning to the current season. The 58-year-old Lopetegui assumed control of West Ham during the summer, taking over from David Moyes. However, the team has only achieved three Premier League victories under his management. Currently, the Hammers occupy the 14th spot in the league standings and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Liverpool, leading to discussions about his potential dismissal. “I am not listening to or reading about what is said. I am really focused,” Lopetegui stated. “My focus is to work in the team and to be able to understand what things can help us be a better team. The rest, this is not under our control – what is, is being able to work better with a high demand, knowing that our players are going to get better for sure and also knowing that the [end of the] season arrives in May, not November, so let’s see what is going to happen in two or three months.” During Moyes’ last season at the club, West Ham advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals and secured a ninth-place finish in the Premier League. Lopetegui, previously manager for Spain and Real Madrid, invested around £125m during the summer transfer window to strengthen his squad, yet the team’s performance has not yielded the expected results. West Ham is scheduled to resume Premier League play on Monday, traveling to face Newcastle, who currently hold the eighth position in the league. “Our life is to live under pressure. Our work is like this and that is why we choose this kind of work,” Lopetegui commented. “The more important thing is that we are working very hard to improve. I think the players have a big commitment to do this and I am sure we are going to achieve our levels. The only thing I am focused on now is going to Newcastle on Monday and trying to get a good result in a tough game.”