He might still be in the job, but it feels like time has run out for Graham Potter at West Ham United.
The Englishman has been the club’s manager since January, and instead of leading them into an exciting new era, the team have regressed under him.
He has overseen 25 games with the Hammers, winning just six, drawing five and losing a staggering 14, which has seen him amass just 0.92 points per game.
The situation is so dire now that there is a real chance of relegation unless something changes, so it’s probably a good thing West Ham are now linked with someone who could be their new Sam Allardyce.
West Ham target Potter replacement
With just how badly they’re playing at the moment, it is surprising that Potter is still in the West Ham dugout, but with the number of coaches linked with the club, that could soon change.
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One of the managers most heavily touted for a move, or in his case, a return to the club, is Slaven Bilic.
However, considering he hasn’t managed in a top league for around five years, we are unsure whether he’s the right option.
Nuno Espírito Santo, on the other hand, would be a seriously exciting appointment, but as he has only just left Nottingham Forest, we aren’t sure this is a move all that likely to transpire.
Interestingly, another name has popped up, someone who would be a better fit than Bilic and more likely than Nuno: Sean Dyche.
Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the former Everton and Burnley boss is someone the club have been in contact with in case they fire Potter.
While he might not be the most inspiring choice, he is reportedly “itching” to return to top-flight management and could be just what West Ham need, an Allardyce figure, if you will.
Why Dyche would be West Ham's new Allardyce
So, it would be fair to say that describing someone as a club’s new Allardyce might not be the best way to make fans excited about a potential appointment.
Moreover, while he didn’t send them down, and did a far better job than plenty of their recent managers, the West Ham faithful weren’t particularly enamoured with Big Sam during his four years at the club over a decade ago.
However, with the club down in the relegation zone, morale at a considerable low in the fanbase and this season’s newly promoted sides looking dangerous, what the Irons need is stability and someone to ensure the worst doesn’t happen.
That is what the former England manager was a specialist at doing and what Dyche would be able to do if he was hired to replace Potter.
The “remarkable” manager, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Ally McCoist, was called in by Everton to save them from the drop in January 2023, and he did just that, before being replaced once the club was stable.
24/25
16th
23/24
15th
22/23
17th
21/22
18th
20/21
17th
19/20
10th
18/19
15th
17/18
7th
16/17
16th
14/15
19th
That is why he could be an excellent option for the Hammers, as he could come in for this year, get the fans back onside, make the team more difficult to play against and then make way for a more progressive coach in the summer.
Moreover, even though he was brought in to save the Toffees from going down, the Englishman’s record there was far better than Potter’s is in East London.
Games
83
25
Wins
26
6
Draws
24
5
Losses
33
14
Points per Game
1.23
0.92
For example, the former Burnley icon oversaw 83 games for the Merseysiders, of which 26 were wins, 24 were draws and 33 losses, resulting in a pretty decent points per game average of 1.23.
Ultimately, Dyche wouldn’t be the most inspiring of choices, but like with Allardyce back in the day, he’d be a safe pair of hands to ensure the worst doesn’t happen this season.