Exclusive: Ex-West Ham defender believes ‘Europe is realistic’ under ‘impressive’ Lopetegui

Anton Ferdinand insists Julen Lopetegui is the right man to take West Ham to the next level – but is pleading with fans to give him time.

The Londoners have spent upwards of £120million in the summer transfer window and start the new season with expectations sky high.

Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug, Championship player of the year Crysencio Summerville and Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme add depth and quality to the Hammers’ attack.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo should significantly improve the back line at a club widely touted, at the very least, to qualify for Europe.

“It could be a good year for West Ham ,” said former boss Harry Redknapp. “I’ve got a feeling they’re going to do very well.”

Ex-Hammer Ferdinand senses a growing excitement around East London and is himself buzzing with what he has so far seen from Lopetegui around the club.

“I always look at it through the lens of, if I was still playing would I want to play for him?” he says. “100 per cent I would want to play for him.

“He’s very personable. He takes his time to get to know players as people, which for me is really important, and I’ve been really impressed with how he’s embedding what he wants within the players and the football club.

“But West Ham fans have got to understand that while we hope it will be all rosy straight away, these things take time. Judging the new manager and new players straight off the bat I think is something we can’t do as West Ham fans.”

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With monster investment comes expectation to match. Bookies might make the Irons only ninth favourites to win the Premier League, but former England striker Darren Bent speaks for many when saying: “He’s got to deliver.

“If you get backed you’ve got to deliver the goods,” Bent told talkSPORT. “For a side like West Ham, when they invest the money they’ve done, they have to be in Europe every season. That should be the aim. Minimum.”

Ferdinand, who played 138 times for West Ham between 2003-08 and is now club ambassador, agrees: “Europe is realistic, but with the changes we’ve made let’s be clear, that would be a fantastic year.

“We’ve got new players plus a new philosophy and a way of playing. The older players need to change and adapt to what the new manager wants, the new players need to get to know their team mates.

“There’s a lot of moving parts. It’s a very big change and we have to be realistic.

“We have a manager who wants to play a completely different way to the way David Moyes wanted to play.

“Julen has to unpick all the philosophies of the way the last manager wanted to play and embed his own. As a player I know how hard that is.

“Having a new manager come in and having to adapt and take on board new strategies, new ideas, when you’ve been set in your ways for the past four years. It can sometimes be daunting.”

After three seasons of European knockout football, highlighted by their UEFA Europa Conference League triumph in 2023, West Ham have only domestic competition this term.

Ferdinand, 39, reckons that plays to their advantage.

“I think it will be good for us,” he says. “As a new manager coming in obviously you want to be in every competition and I know the gaffer, who’s a winner, will be thinking like that.

“However, when you’re looking to change philosophy, change style of play, incorporate new players, having that bit more time on the training pitch sometimes is what’s needed.”

West Ham start the season on Saturday at home to Aston Villa, Premier League surprise packets last term when finishing fourth.

Villa have also spent big, recruiting Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley, though losing Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby to Juventus and Saudi Arabia respectfully.

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The Hammers come into the game on the back of 3-1 defeats to both Crystal Palace and Wolves in a Florida pre-season tournament – before last weekend edging Celta Vigo on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

Ferdinand says: “We’ve got a manager who wants the players to believe [they can be successful] because he believes he’s the right man for the job.

“In terms of the business that we’ve done I’m excited to see Niclas Fullkrug, who looked really good at the Euros, and feel positive about the other signings as I trust Tim [Steidten, West Ham’s technical director]. He’s got a philosophy. There is a method to what he’s trying to achieve.

“I know the fan base very well. We’ve had a taste of Europe, we want more.

“All I ask is that the fans are realistic, get behind the boys and understand this is the next phase and it needs time.”

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