West Ham have appointed former Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City boss Graham Potter to replace Julen Lopetegui after ending the Spaniard's six-month reign on Wednesday.
Englishman Potter, who signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, has spent more than 21 months away from football since his departure from Stamford Bridge, as his reign lasted less than seven months during the 2022/23 season, including 11 league defeats. 31 matches.
The 49-year-old will have a chance to end his new club's two-game losing streak when West Ham visit Aston Villa in the league. FA Cup third round Friday (8pm GMT).
The Hammers return to Premier League action at home to ninth-placed Fulham on January 14 (7.30pm) before visiting Crystal Palace – currently one place below them – four days later (4pm).
Potter's first away league match will also be at Villa on January 26 (4.30pm).
West Ham United are delighted to welcome Graham Potter as the club's new Head Coach ⚒️
– West Ham United (@WestHam) January 9, 2025
Potter is excited about this opportunity
Potter told the club's official website: “I'm delighted to be here. It was important for me that I waited until I got the job that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right person for the club I was joining. That's the feeling I have with West Ham United.” .
“My conversations with the Chairman and the Board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and high energy to create the solid foundations that can lead to success, and we are on the same wavelength in terms of what is needed in the short term and then how we want to take the club to… Forward in the medium to long term.
He added: “West Ham United is a huge club, located in the heart of London, with a huge fan base and great support around the world. I saw the scenes that followed their victory in the Europa League in 2023 and it was clear that this club has everything to achieve continued success, whether On or off the field.
“The club has made a lot of good progress in recent years and has ensured there are some very strong foundations to build on. You don't win a European title by chance – there has to be a good foundation in the football club to achieve that, and the challenge now is to capitalize on that and build the next steps.” “To develop a team and club that supporters can be proud of.”
Graham Potter scored
Potter joined Chelsea in September 2022 from Brighton, where he built a reputation for a progressive footballing style and ability to nurture young talent in his first Premier League job.
The Seagulls were fourth in the table after six matches in Potter's fourth season, and Chelsea never bettered that position during his short tenure, sitting in 11th place at the time of his departure.
Chelsea's best achievement under Potter was four straight wins in the Champions League group stage and overturning a 1-0 deficit in the first leg against their hosts. It beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the round of 16Although they left Real Madrid after his dismissal.
Under Potter, Albion enjoyed their highest ever final position of ninth with the help of five wins and one defeat in the final nine games of the 2021/22 season, snapping six successive defeats and just one goal between February and March.
Brighton finished 15th in Potter's first season in 2019/20 and 16th at the end of the following season, having gone more than a year without a home league win between 2020 and 2021.
Lopetegui sacked
Lopetegui, whose career includes managerial roles with Spain, Real Madrid, Porto, Wolves and Sevilla, was named as David Moyes' replacement in May, but defeats in his first three home games saw the 58-year-old quickly face pressure.
He oversaw a net spend of £85.2m over the summer, but lost nine and won six of his 20 league matches, with West Ham in 14th place after their 4-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday, seven points above the relegation zone.
Moyes won West Ham's first European title since 1965 by lifting the 2022/23 Conference League as part of a second spell at the helm that lasted four-and-a-half years.
