Graham Potter finds himself in a familiar position at West Ham, with chairman David Sullivan's lack of vision once again dragging out a managerial departure. The inefficiency and short-termism that have sparked mass protests against the board are on full display as Potter fights to save his job after just six wins from 25 games.
Reports have emerged that West Ham held talks with Nuno Espírito Santo before last weekend's defeat to Crystal Palace, though the former Nottingham Forest boss may be too expensive. The likeliest alternative is Slaven Bilic, who has been out of work since August 2024 and is backed by people close to Sullivan. Bilic is waiting, contemplating his backroom staff, and could provide a short-term shot in the arm until the end of the season.
Critics point to the lack of strategy at the club, with the attempt to move on from David Moyes in 2024 having been a botch job. Moyes remains the outlier—the only manager who truly worked out Sullivan by developing a resilient core. Under Sullivan, survival is a day-to-day affair, with Potter now clinging on partly due to reluctance to appoint a new boss before tricky away games at Everton and Arsenal.
Potter stresses that context matters. "You have to look at where the club was, where the club has been, and realistically what is needed to improve," he said. "Whenever you do something meaningful and important it takes some time." But with the board already sounding out successors, time is running out for Potter to prove he can salvage the situation.
