West Ham United are considering replacing the highly-experienced 58-year-old Julen Lopetegui with a manager less than a year younger.
KUMB understand former PSV and Benfica manager Roger Schmidt has been highlighted as a potential replacement for the Spanish Head Coach, whose position is under threat following West Ham's disappointing start to the 2024/25 campaign.Schmidt, who took his first managerial post 20 years ago is currently available having been sacked by Benfica back in August following two years with the Portuguese club. West Ham have since made contact with the German's representatives.
Having enjoyed a long yet unspectacular career as a player in the regional German leagues, Schmidt took his first steps in management back in 2004 when taking the helm at current Westfalenliga 1 outfit Delbrücker SC.
After three years at the club Schmidt moved on to SC Preußen Münsterbefore enjoying spells at Paderborn 07 and Red Bull Salzburg, who offered him his first major break. In 2014 he was snapped up by Bayer Leverkusen.
After leading Leverkusen to a Champions League spot in 2015/16, he was fired the following March with Bayer 9th in the Bundesliga. However Schmidt was back in full time employment three months later after accepting a n offer from Chinese club Beijing Guoan - the same club which Slaven Bilic found himself at in 2021.
Fired again after two years in charge of Beijing, Schmidt returned to Europe and took the vacant post at PSV Eindhoven where he remained for the duration of his two-year contract. He was named as the successor to Nélson Veríssimo at Benfica in March 2022, and led the club to the quarter finals of the Champions League in successive seasons, becoming the first Portuguese club to do so.
However he was fired at the beginning of the current season following a 1–1 draw at Moreirense.
Schmidt joins a growing list of favoured replacements for Lopetegui which includes former Hammers assistant manager Edin Terzic and former England manager Gareth Southgate. Meanwhile ex Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has also expressed interest in the post, should it become available.
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