West Ham United favourite Teddy Sheringham has thrown down the gauntlet to new manager Julen Lopetegui ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
The Hammers are gearing up to welcome Aston Villa to the London Stadium in Saturday’s curtain-raiser, and Sheringham insists Lopetegui must hit the ground running after this summer’s splurge.
West Ham wanted a manager who employs an attacking, easy-on-the-eye brand of football, so Lopetegui’s appointment raised eyebrows, considering his tactical approach bears some similarities to David Moyes.
Both managers are renowned for their pragmatic brand of football, but the Hammers have doubled down on their decision by splashing the cash on six new players to revamp the squad.
With the calibre of players that have joined the club, Sheringham believes Lopetegui is under pressure to not only play attractive football but also compete for silverware and qualify for Europe.
“Every Premier League manager is under pressure. That’s where you’re at now,” Sheringham said. “I do think that Lopetegui is under pressure to play attractive football from the get-go.
“He’s been fully backed with the signings he wanted, so there are no excuses. I think Lopetegui will expect to hit the ground running.”
“All the fans will back the new man, but the expectations are really high.”
Sheringham isn’t far from the truth
The Hammers have spared no expense in assembling an exciting squad, with Niclas Fullkrug, Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka among the high-profile additions.
They’re determined to better last season’s disappointing ninth-place finish in the Premier League, which marked the end of Moyes’ stint in East London.
Lopetegui doesn’t necessarily have big boots to fill, but after receiving significant backing from the club, the pressure is on him to deliver results.
While the new players will need time to gel, Lopetegui cannot afford a slow start to the season, although he faces a baptism of fire in the first three months.
After squaring off with Villa, the Hammers face four consecutive London derbies against Crystal Palace, Fulham, Chelsea, and Brentford, with a daunting clash against champions Manchester City sandwiched in between.
A win against Villa would set a better tone for the coming games.
However, Lopetegui needs to find a winning formula, as any early stumbles could dampen the optimism around the club and jeopardise their European ambitions.