Prominent journalist David Ornstein has revealed fresh developments surrounding sacked Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou after he was tipped to take over West Ham next season.
Several pundits, journalists, fans and even club legends are predicting Graham Potter may not last long at West Ham next season.
Daniel Levy will be watching the West Ham situation with interest after Spurs considered hiring Potter in January – eventually forcing David Sullivan’s hand.
Spurs have paid £10m to take Thomas Frank from Brentford to replace Ange Postecoglou.
Sliding doors moment over Spurs and Hammers manager picks
Frank was a manager Hammers fans were desperate to see their club appoint as successor to David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui.
But they went with free agent Potter, who has struggled to convince with only five wins from his 19 games.
Spurs have set something of a precedent by sacking Postecoglou despite the Aussie winning their first trophy for 17 years and leading them back into the Champions League as a result.
After a period of grace from Hammers fans, Potter will come under more intense pressure next season.
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The likes of Tony Cottee believe Potter will be in trouble at West Ham if he doesn’t get a fast start in the opening six games of the new season.
Paul Merson has predicted the Hammers could be relegated in a fiercely competitive Premier League next term.
Many Hammers fans are unconvinced about Potter and will want to see drastic improvement when he has his own players and a full pre-season.
Some West Ham fans have actually called on Sullivan to hire Postecoglou if Potter can’t turn things around.
Earlier this week a leading journalist touted West Ham as Postecoglou’s next destination.
It was stated Hammers fans are ‘desperate to feel something again’ and Postecoglou’s controversial attacking approach makes that potential marriage a possibility.
After all it was not that long ago Hammers vice-chair Karren Brady, who famously fell out with Spurs chief Levy, once made it clear she wanted Postecoglou to replace Moyes.
Brady wrote a column predicting Postecoglou would take the Premier League by storm but he ended up going to north London as Moyes stayed on another year.
Now David Ornstein has dropped a major Postecoglou twist amid the sacked Spurs boss’s West Ham links.
Given most managers tend to take a break after being sacked, a scenario where Postecoglou is looking for a job around the October or November international breaks is a distinct possibility.
Those two-week breaks are traditionally when under-performing clubs start sacking managers.
But Postecoglou could be off the market by then it seems.
Because The Athletic’s top reporter Ornstein claims Saudi side Al Ahli have now made contact with Postecoglou about becoming their new head coach.
Speculation is rife young German manager Matthias Jaissle could leave Al Ahli amid links to the RB Leipzig job.
Sacked Spurs boss could be off the market after West Ham link
Ornstein has confirmed former Tottenham boss Postecoglou is among the candidates being considered to replace Jaissle and initial talks have been held.
“Al Ahli make contact with Ange Postecoglou about becoming head coach, if Matthias Jaissle exits,” Ornstein said.
“The former Tottenham Hotspur boss among candidates being considered in event of Al Ahli managerial change. Xavi another option.”
After struggling to impress in his half a season in charge of the Hammers, it has been argued Potter would have been let go if Sullivan had got his way and only appointed him on an initial six-month deal to be reviewed in the summer.
Ironically Spurs – and Everton – played a part in West Ham having to bow to Potter’s demands for a two-and-a-half year contract by registering their own interest at the time.
Now if the Hammers do make an early change, options may be slim on the ground if Postecoglou ends up in Saudi.