“Three West Ham Stars Unhappy Under Graham Potter, Threaten to Quit if Changes Aren’t Made”
West Ham United head coach Graham Potter has confirmed that he has held “positive talks” with the club’s owners amidst speculation over his future at the London Stadium.
The 50-year-old has won only six of his 25 matches in charge of the Hammers across all competitions since his appointment in January, losing four of his opening five Premier League games at the start of the new season.
A surprise 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest in August represents the only top-flight success for West Ham, who sit down in 19th in the table having conceded a division-high 13 goals.
Potter has overseen back-to-back home defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace over the last fortnight, with a 2-1 loss to the latter last time out increasing the scrutiny on his position in the dugout.
The former Chelsea and Brighton boss admitted that he is “feeling the pressure” in charge of West Ham following their latest defeat to Palace where his players was booed off at the London Stadium.
Potter is the heavy bookmakers’ favourite to become the next Premier League manager to lose his job, and recent report have claimed that West Ham’s hierarchy – who have been heavily criticised by the club’s supporters in recent weeks – have considered potential successors to their current head coach.
There was a point very early in Graham Potter’s West Ham career when his press conferences felt like a breath of fresh air.
Part of that was down to the contrast with former boss Julen Lopetegui, whose command of English was limited and whose habit of speaking at length without saying much was frustrating. Potter, by comparison, brought positivity, promises of promoting academy talent, and a commitment to fixing the team’s obvious tactical flaws.
Unfortunately, the under-pressure Hammers manager now seems to be leaning more on riddles and deflection than substance.
Potter failed to provide any insight as to how he intends to fix West ham’s set-piece problem
Everton v West Ham presser
His pre-Everton press conference, for example, included a mildly amusing aside about the viral face-swap trend—but otherwise, it was dominated by reminders of how tough the Premier League is and how fine the margins can be.
What was missing was any detail on how he plans to fix West Ham’s leaky defence, which continues to concede from corners, or address the problem of misfiring strikers. Nor was there any mention of the midfield’s persistent failings.
To be fair, it can’t be easy for Potter knowing the club are already interviewing potential replacements behind his back. That said, he was hardly innocent when his predecessor faced the same situation.
Nobody knows for sure whether Everton or Arsenal will be Potter’s make-or-break game. But if West Ham are to spring a surprise against David Moyes’ Toffees, there was little evidence in this press conference that the manager has the answers.