Analysing the ideal candidate to take over from Pellegrini at West Ham

According to The Telegraph (h/t Daily Mirror), West Ham have held crisis talks with manager Manuel Pellegrini after his side’s poor display.

After losing five of their last seven league games, manager Pellegrini has come under heavy criticism, as his side are currently just one spot ahead of the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, West Ham do not want to part so easily with the Chilean, who arrived in May last year and spent close to £150m on new signings.

However, with just 3 wins in 13 matches, the situation looks grim and Pellegrini may soon be on his way out if the current winless trend continues.

West Ham, on the other hand, have considered three possible replacements if the tables do not turn in the Chilean’s favour. The trio is – Chris Hughton, Chris Wilder, and Sean Dyche, according to Daily Mirror.

Now let’s have a closer look at the three of them.  

Chris Hughton

Not the most successful of managers on the list. However, Hughton has ample coaching experience under his belt having previously managed sides such as Newcastle, Birmingham, Norwich, and Brighton.

The 60-year old is currently out of job after being sacked by Brighton earlier this summer, following a poor 17^th place finish in the 2018-19 season.

However, his greatest achievement to date has been helping Brighton gain Premier League promotion after finishing runners-up in the 2016-17 EFL Championship season.

Chris Wilder

Perhaps the one to taste success successively in recent times. Since arriving in 2016, Wilder has led his boyhood club Sheffield United to two promotions in just three years. To date, it remains the 52-year old’s greatest achievement.

In his first season as Blades manager, he won them the League One title, thereby gaining Championship promotion.

In their debut season (2017-18) in the Championship, Sheffield did not disappoint, as they ended the year placed 10^th.

However, glory soon followed the Englishman, as he led them to their second promotion – this time into the Premier League, with a second-place finish.

Newcomers Sheffield meanwhile, have had the best of starts, and are currently 6th in the table.

Sean Dyche

The youngest of the three, Dyche currently coaches Burnley and has been their manager since 2012.

It is with Burnley that Dyche has attained maximum glory. In his first season (2013-14) as the Clarets boss, he helped them earn promotion with a second-place finish in the Championship.

However, happiness did not last long as they were once again relegated, having ended the season a lowly 19^th in the Premier League.

Dyche once again propelled them to the top flight, this time winning the Championship (2015-16). Determined not to repeat the same mistake, he made sure they stayed in the league, as Burnley ended the season 16^th this time.

The next season (2017-18), he did the unexpected when his side qualified for the Europa League after finishing an impressive 7^th in the table.

Very much like Wilder, this season has been good so far for Dyche, as Burnley are just one place behind Sheffield United, at 7th place.

Verdict

Overall, Dyche seems to be a slightly better candidate to replace Pellegrini than the other two. Wilder’s achievements in recent times have been impressive for sure. However, unlike Dyche, he has not tasted relegation yet.

Read more:

• Why signing Gaitan would be a cost-free gamble for West Ham
• Why Duvan Zapata would be a solid signing for West Ham
• Why West Ham should avoid signing Jordan Archer on a free transfer

It takes immense grit and confidence to register a comeback into the Premier League. Dyche has proved that he is no quitter after fighting his way back to the top.  

Hence, a sinking ship like West Ham, under Pellegrini, could make use of Dyche’s services to sail them off troubled waters.