Julen Lopetegui has been named West Ham’s new head coach.
Lopetegui replaces David Moyes, who left his post at the London Stadium “by mutual consent” after his contract expired at the end of the Premier League season.
The 57-year-old will work closely with technical director Tim Steidten – who will have more control over recruitment. When Moyes was reappointed in 2019, it was on the condition that he had a big say in recruitment and transfers.
But with the appointment of Steidten last summer, West Ham is moving towards a more European model.
“I think we have a fantastic platform,” Lopetegui said.
“I think the last few years have been very good years to have that foundation, of course, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve bigger and bigger goals and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about competing.
“I’m where I want to be. I’m here because I want to be here and for us it was a fantastic day when we made our deal here because our commitment is 100 percent to be here.
“We had other opportunities but I’m very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we’re really happy about that.
“We came here with the idea and the idea of making a lot of noise. That’s why we came here and we are excited about this challenge. Of course, we are going to do our best to help the club and the ‘team at “
Lopetegui, who has previously managed Spain, Porto, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolves, will officially join the club on July 1. He has been unemployed since leaving his role at Molineux on the eve of the 2023/24 season.
Steidten said: “We are very happy to welcome Julen and his team to our club. He was an outstanding candidate to become our head coach and I am personally delighted that we have chosen to work together. His career shows that everywhere where he has coached, he has improved players and teams, and we look forward to seeing him work with our team.
“Julen lives and breathes football. He thinks deeply about the game, he is tactically astute and he has shown that he can adapt to working in different leagues, in different countries, with national teams, and in every situation he has shown his exceptional qualities. Julen is very experienced in the way we will now work at West Ham United and I look forward to working with him to build a successful future for the club.”
Merson says: West Ham should be careful what they wish for
Paul Merson from Sky Sports:
“West Ham have to be careful what they wish for. Moyes uprooted trees there, won a European trophy. Solid seventh, eighth, ninth, top half of the table again.
“I’m not saying what happened to Charlton will happen overnight, but I remember many years ago when I was playing, their fans were asking to get rid of Alan Curbishley, saying it’s was boring, in the middle of the table they wanted to kick.
“They have never been seen since. Moyes is the first, the first. They won a European trophy! It’s just madness.
“I wouldn’t have gotten rid of him in a month on Sunday. The West Ham fans will come back, saying this and that, throwing out all the stats in the world. But I’m just going to throw the biggest stat of them all at you. . He won you.
“I don’t care about this entertaining football, we’re not playing very well, we should do better with these players. They won a trophy! You look at Arsenal, they are incredible and they could end up with nothing.”
‘I’m just getting started here’ – Lopetegui on the Premier League
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In an interview with Sky Sports in December, former Wolves boss Lopetegui revealed he was targeting a return to the Premier League.
Talk to Sky Sports News journalist Danyal Khan in December, Lopetegui explained why he feels he has unfinished business in the Premier League and revealed he had met with the PFA, LMA and PGMOL in his spare time in a bid to prepare for a return to the English Premier League.
“That’s why I said no to different countries and different situations because I would like to stay here in England. I feel like our team here is just getting started and we want to achieve our dreams.” Lopetegui then declared.
“The way the country experiences football here is special: it’s the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world, the best environment for players, coaches and fans too.”
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