Outspoken former club owner turned pundit Simon Jordan says West Ham fans are right after what he’s heard about Julen Lopetegui.

It’s no secret that Julen Lopetegui was not necessarily West Ham’s first choice to replace David Moyes.

Very public talks with Ruben Amorim and claims since that the Portuguese was the Hammers’ number one pick are evidence of that.

But West Ham were not necessarily Lopetegui’s first choice either.

It has been confirmed by Spanish journalist Guillem Balague that AC Milan had been in talks with the 57-year-old for six months before suddenly withdrawing their contract offer to him last week amid unrest from the club’s fans.

There has similar unrest among some Hammers fans too. Albeit on a smaller and less vociferous scale.

A measure of the fact Lopetegui’s appointment is not being universally welcomed at West Ham has come in the form of supporter polls and an online petition against hiring the former Wolves boss.

Lopetegui appointment divides West Ham fans

Many fans feel Lopetegui is not the innovative, modern manager they craved as Moyes’ successor.

Counter arguments to that from those with a far greater knowledge of Lopetegui and his methods has appeased some West Ham supporters this week.

Some of those who are neither here nor there on Lopetegui taking over have warmed to the idea.

Especially with his background of pushing owners to invest in the team.

It means, yet again, that there is an element of division among West Ham’s fanbase. For the time being at least.

Now one of the country’s most outspoken football pundits has shared his view.

Simon Jordan says unconvinced West Ham fans are right after what he’s heard about Lopetegui.

Jordan ‘can’t believe’ some think Lopetegui is right man

It must be put on record that Jordan has never hidden the fact he and Hammers majority owner David Sullivan do not necessarily get on.

Jordan famously accused Sullivan of ‘phantom bids and faux ambition’ in the transfer market a couple of years ago.

But he has also defended Sullivan and West Ham’s ownership amid criticism from fans in the past.

Now he says supporters are right to have reservations over Lopetegui and ‘can’t believe’ some think he’s the right man to replace Moyes.

“I always felt probably he was told something and then something different came along (before his walkout at Wolves),” Jordan said on talkSPORT, which you can in the video below.

“Because he has such wonderful integrity himself when he was away with the Spanish national side (at the World Cup) while negotiating behind the scenes for him to go to Real Madrid! His integrity is beyond reproach isn’t it!?

“So the fact is he wants to hold people to a set of standards he probably doesn’t hold himself to.

“To me I don’t understand why the fuss about him is. I don’t really know what he’s done. Ok yes with a decent Sevilla side that he inherited and maintained they won a Europa League. And a decent Porto side that had a decent win record. But other than that he’s got booted out of the Spanish job because he decided he was going to go to Real Madrid. He lasted five minutes at Real Madrid before they booted him out…

“He must interview remarkably well. He must be a very impressive individual because he gets himself into these jobs and ultimately getting the Real Madrid job would absolutely indicate your point, which is well made, which is you don’t get into Real Madrid if you’re a mug.

“But he stayed there for 14 games so they must’ve thought he was a bit of a mug because they drop-kicked him out of the door after 14 games. Then he goes to Sevilla, has two-and-a-half years there, redeems himself, does a decent job there, gets a 50 per cent win record and wins the Europa League.

‘If West Ham think he’s the answer good luck to them’

“Goes to Wolverhampton Wanderers and you don’t arrive at Wolves – with respect – if your career is in the ascent as a supposed former Real Madrid manager…

“First of all the fella stayed living in Wolverhampton which, if you don’t have to why would you? And so by definition he stayed there for a reason… the rumour was because he wants a job in the Premier League. The stalking horse of Bayern Munich will be utilised by his agents to get what he wants from West Ham as best he can.

“West Ham have had this little dance haven’t they? You went with the perceived fashionable success-based manager in (Manuel) Pellegrini and he stunk the place out and Moyes had to come in and fix the problems that he left after having the indignation of being removed.

“I think Lopetegui is at a different stage of his career than Pellegrini was and wants to be in the Premier League not just because it represents a commercial opportunity for him. But because he feels its the best league for him to manage in. Maybe his currency in Spain doesn’t allow him to manage there anymore because, after Madrid and the failure that he had there and the Spanish job which didn’t last particularly long.

“Clearly the guy is a decent coach. He did a decent job with Wolves… it appears, he’s a little bit of a divider…

“If West Ham think that he’s the solution to whichever problem they’ve got which is a lack of attacking football and not enough good results in the last half of this season while still finishing in the top 10 over the course of a 38-game season and have gotten to a significant stage of a European competition.

“If they don’t think that’s good enough and they think Lopetegui is going to be the outcome for them, good luck to them.”

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