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West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini is a man under pressure right now. After his side’s disappointing 2-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday – that score flattered them – the Hammers sit in 17th place, and haven’t won a match since September 22nd.
In that time they’ve also lost 5 of 7 Premier League games, while conceding 16 goals in the process. Admittedly, Pellegrini has had to contend with an injury to his #1 goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski – replacing him with the hapless Roberto – but even so, West Ham’s recent record is bad enough that rumours are now flying around regarding the Chilean's potential sacking.
So if the Hammers do decide to pull the trigger, who could replace the former Manchester City boss? Here are 3 possibilities.
#1 Rafael Benitez
Perhaps the top contender for the job at West Ham – should it arise – is former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard walked away from Newcastle United in the summer following the expiration of his contract and now manages Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, but reportedly, the reasons for him leaving St. James’ Park were a series of disagreements with club owner Mike Ashley.
That suggests that Benitez perhaps isn’t ready to call time on his top-level management career yet – despite likely earning a lot of money in China.
Would Benitez be a good manager for West Ham to appoint? Almost certainly. The Spanish veteran has won trophies at practically every club he’s managed – from two La Liga titles at Valencia to the Champions League at Liverpool – and he’s also a master at getting the best out of underperforming players.
Even more intriguingly, West Ham reportedly attempted to move for Benitez twice in the past; firstly in 2015 before the Spaniard moved to Real Madrid, and secondly prior to the appointment of Pellegrini in the summer of 2018 – and it was only his hefty release clause at Newcastle that prevented his appointment. Could this season be third time lucky for the Hammers and Benitez? We shall see.
#2 Eddie Howe
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has been highly rated for many years now, and has always been tipped to eventually move onto bigger things – but with England’s biggest clubs having overlooked him, could a move to the London Stadium with West Ham be on the cards for the 41-year old? It’d certainly be an intriguing appointment.
Howe has done a tremendous job at the Vitality Stadium since beginning his second stint at the club in October 2012; he guided them up to the EFL Championship from League One in his first season in charge, and then secured promotion to the Premier League in the 2014/15 season. And Bournemouth have hardly struggled since – Howe has led them to strong mid-table finishes over the last four seasons, and the Cherries currently sit in 9th position in the table.
There are of course a few issues; Howe did fail in a brief stint at Burnley, and despite that almost being a decade ago, it has been suggested that he might struggle again away from the south coast.
But that’s largely conjecture, and the fact that he’s put together such an entertaining side at the Vitality – with the likes of Josh King, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser starring – suggests he’d fit in well with the perceived ‘West Ham style’.
Would Howe be willing to switch Bournemouth for West Ham? Cherries fans might suggest it would be a sideward step, but there’s no denying that the Hammers are the more prestigious club and have more financial power – meaning this could be a good move for both parties.
#3 Chris Wilder
The current manager of Sheffield United, Chris Wilder has been the talk of the Premier League this season, as he’s guided the Blades in an unexpected and impressive run up the table. They currently sit in 6th place, and while that doesn’t seem likely to last, the fact that many pundits tipped Wilder’s side for relegation prior to the season says a lot.
The former right-back – who played at Bramall Lane on two occasions during his playing career – appears to be a master at getting the most out of seemingly limited players, and despite some pundits suggesting he would use a “direct style of football” in the Premier League, that hasn’t been the case at all.
Instead, Wilder has proven himself to be an innovative tactical coach, using a system that sees his centre-backs often overlapping his full-backs to deliver crosses, and has utilised the previously unheralded John Lundstram as not only a defensive midfielder, but also as a goal threat with his late runs into the penalty box.
If Wilder can do such a great job with unheralded players at Bramall Lane, what could he do with a seemingly stronger squad at West Ham? That’s the question fans would be asking if he were appointed – and while it seems doubtful that the 52-year-old would want to leave the Blades while they’re flying so high, it’d admittedly be a step up for him, and one he may be tempted to take.
