Something that Craig Dawson said about Julen Lopetegui back in 2023 might just change some West Ham fans’ opinions of the Spaniard.
West Ham are said to be close to appointing Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes, and have allegedly offered the 57-year-old a three-year deal.
Now Craig Dawson has given us real reason to be optimistic about the former Chelsea boss, if he is indeed named as the new Hammers boss.
Moyes is clearly done at the London Stadium, after Sunday’s pathetic performance and subsequent 5-2 defeat away at Crystal Palace.
Lopetegui has already been spotted boarding a flight to London, ahead of proposed talks with the Hammers owners.
The West Ham fans were extremely excited when links with Ruben Amorim emerged yesterday, but it seems as though that deal is now off (Fabrizio Romano).
So could Lopetegui actually be a decent alternative to the 39-year-old Portuguese? I personally don’t think so, and many other Hammers fans don’t either.
But Dawson’s comments may well change our minds…
West Ham fans fans must hear what Craig Dawson said about Julen Lopetegui
The 33-year-old firmly established himself as a cult hero at the London Stadium, after joining the Hammers from Watford in 2020.
It was a really sad day when he left us, and I really wish we still had him actually – he was absolutely brilliant for us.
Now it’s really interesting to look back on something he said about Lopetegui last year…
Back in January 2023 when Dawson signed for Wolves, the centre-back told their official website just how highly he rates Lopetegui:
“I remember it was a tough game, but one thing that stood out the most was the coach. He was stood right on the sideline and felt like another player. You could feel his passion, his love for the game there, and that was something he mentioned to me when I signed a few days ago. You could really feel his passion for the game and hopefully we can see that here. We’ve had plenty of conversations and even just training with him a few days, you can really tell he’s a top coach and I can’t wait to get down to business and keep working with him.”
Described as a ‘mastermind’ by the Shropshire Star, Lopetegui is well renowned for being an astute tactician.
I’m no fan of the Spaniard, but Dawson’s comments have certainly given me a different perspective on the manager.
Considering how highly thought of the 33-year-old defender was at West Ham, his opinion on Julen Lopetegui will certainly carry some weight.
Whether that’s enough to change our opinions on the Spaniard remains to be seen though.
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