Aston Villa can put classless West Ham in their place as Potter embarrassment plays out

Just when you think there are no more depths to which football can sink, the game goes and surpasses itself. Or in this case, a club does. Some Wolves fans will be thinking today that Julen Lopetegui has got his just deserts at West Ham as the London club allegedly holds talks with his potential replacement in Graham Potter before having the good manners to sack the Spaniard first.

Lopetegui walked out on Wolves the summer before last after the club failed to meet his expectations on spending and ambition, ushering in the arrival of Gary O’Neil. But surely any right-thinking individual - Wolves fan or not - has to condemn a company which holds an audition in public for a position that has still to be vacated?

Yes, there are a lot of assumptions here - that Lopetegui is indeed about to be sacked - he was taking training today ahead of Friday's FA Cup tie at Aston Villa - that West Ham knew their discussions with Potter were in the public domain; and maybe a naivety in assuming that all clubs - and businesses - do not sound out potential replacements for high-profile posts before wielding the axe. They do, but just not so blatantly.

It must also have Leicester City supporters pondering what was so awful with their club that Potter turned them down three times but is now apparently ready to throw in his lot with the Hammers.

No doubt Lopetegui will be handsomely compensated when his time at the London Stadium is up, but for a club within an organisation that jumps on every bandwagon going, surely treating employees with some respect has got to be an ideal worth embracing?

As for Solihull-born Potter, a man touted for every position from England boss to potential Manchester United manager since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023, it makes you wonder what is so attractive to him in the Hammers.

After all, they ushered David Moyes out the door for a second time after he led them to a European trophy success in the search for more expansive football - and then appointed one of the most conservative managers in the game in Lopetegui to provide it. Not only do the London club lack class, some may say they also lack basic football knowledge too.

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