West Ham On The Brink: Major Decision Looms Over Graham Potter’s Future | OneFootball

Graham Potter’s stint at West Ham United is reaching a critical juncture, and reports suggest that the club hierarchy is now seriously considering their next move. According to The Telegraph, the London club is now showing concern after yet another defeat, this time against Crystal Palace. The Hammers suffered their fifth league loss of the season and their fourth in the last five matches.

West Ham have won only six league games in Potter’s eight months, and that poor return has put the manager under severe scrutiny. The Palace fixture was seen as pivotal, and after that result, Chairman David Sullivan and co-chair Karren Brady began reviewing alternatives.

The board has prepared a shortlist of Nuno Espirito Santo, Slaven Bilic and Gary O’Neil, and Santo stands as the leading candidate. Reports suggest the club plans to offer only a short-term contract until the end of the season. This is because Potter’s deal has a break clause in the summer.

Bilic, who previously managed and played for the Hammers, seems open to a temporary arrangement. Meanwhile, Pete O’Rourke said on the Inside Track podcast for Football Insider that Graham Potter’s time at West Ham looks bleak so far. It shows us the depth of pressure now surrounding the former Chelsea boss.

Another development came as O’Rourke revealed that the West Ham board is considering former Chelsea midfielder and manager Frank Lampard as a possible option to replace Potter on the bench. This adds more twists to West Ham’s search for managers.

Opinion: Should West Ham pull the trigger now?

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 09: Graham Potter Manager of West Ham United applauds the fans at the end of the pre-season friendly match between West Ham United and Lille OSC at London Stadium on August 09, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Supporters are growing louder in their frustration, chanting “sacked in the morning” during recent games, while the team’s weakness at set-pieces and lack of identity have intensified the dissatisfaction. Some believe a swift change could give the squad fresh energy and stabilise results in the short term. The club’s precarious position near the foot of the table, currently 19th, inevitably pushes the board towards considering immediate fixes.

Yet the decision is not so straightforward, as dismissing Potter now, barely months after his January appointment, would underline the instability that has often defined West Ham’s managerial choices. At Brighton, Potter showed he could build a squad and shape a progressive approach. This influenced West Ham’s decision to appoint him.

The question is whether the West Ham board matched their expectations with what Potter could realistically deliver in the time given. The upcoming fixtures and the international break could give the manager and the club a brief but important chance to reset. While short-term solutions may tempt the hierarchy, it would be wiser to assess whether the long-term vision they once promised still has space for Potter or whether a cycle of managerial churn will once again define their season.