Why Ipswich Town and Coventry City may be sweating on West Ham situation | OneFootball

Kieran McKenna and Frank Lampard are prominent names in the betting odds to replace Graham Potter

Both Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna and Coventry City's Frank Lampard have emerged as prominent names in the betting odds to replace Graham Potter, should West Ham United decide to make a change.

Former Brighton and Chelsea manager, Potter, is among the favourites to be the next Premier League boss to lose his job.

The speculation around McKenna and Lampard as potential West Ham targets comes at vital time for both Championship clubs, who will obviously be aware that losing their highly-rated managers could derail their respective campaigns.

Graham Potter's situation at West Ham United amid sack talk

His odds of being the next Premier League manager to leave have shortened dramatically following a terrible start to the new season.

The Hammers suffered heavy defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea in their opening fixtures, conceding eight goals in just two matches, 3-0 and 5-1.

Potter has managed just six wins from 23 matches since taking charge in January, representing a win rate of 26%.

His record at home has been particularly concerning, with two wins, three draws and five losses in his first ten games. This is the worst home record of any West Ham manager ever after ten Premier League games.

While a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest provided temporary respite for Potter, bookmakers continue to make him joint-favourite alongside Manchester United's Ruben Amorim to be the next Premier League manager to depart.

According to the Daily Mail, Hammers' co-owner, David Sullivan, doesn't like to sack managers, but has apparently been keen to blame Potter and his staff for their recent struggles, which is maybe why a change could be made soon.

West Ham will realise that they simply cannot afford to find themselves in a relegation dogfight this summer and there is also an argument to suggest that Potter is underachieving rather considerably with the squad at his disposal, meaning it would perhaps be no surprise to see the ex-Swansea City boss relieved of his duties

Ipswich Town are used to Premier League interest in Kieran McKenna

Due to the bookies' odds of those in the running to potentially replace Potter, Ipswich and Coventry find themselves in the uncomfortable position of hoping their managers' success does not attract the wrong type of attention.

In truth, the Tractor Boys are somewhat used to interest from so-called 'bigger clubs' in their 39-year-old boss, McKenna.

After the Northern Irishman guided Ipswich to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League, the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United were reportedly admirers of him.

Given Town are in the midst of a rebuild following their relegation, with McKenna overseeing 11 new arrivals this summer, it is hard to see on paper the Suffolk side losing their manager.

Also, out of the three clubs that went down from the Premier League last season - Southampton and Leicester being the other two - Ipswich were the only ones to retain their manager.

Coventry City could be more worried than Ipswich Town about losing their manager, Frank Lampard

Perhaps due to Frank Lampard leaving Derby County to manage a Premier League side - albeit Chelsea - in 2019, there could be a bigger cause for concern in the West Midlands.

There's another similar connection there as well. Lampard is a product of West Ham's youth academy and played for their first-team before joining Chelsea in 2001.

As Coventry manager, Lampard reached the play-off semi-finals last after replacing Mark Robins, and the 47-year-old has the Sky Blues inside the top six in the early stages of this season.

The prospect of City losing him has already "concerned" FLW's Sky Blues Fan Pundit, Chris Deez, but he added the West Ham job is a "poisoned chalice" so hopes Lampard views it in the same way.

Should the Hammers decide to persist with Potter despite the mounting pressure, both McKenna and Lampard can obviously continue their good work without the inevitable distraction speculation like that brings.

However, if Potter's position becomes unsavable, the east London outfit could very well decide to go for one of the bookies' favourites in McKenna or Lampard.