Lopetegui told he’s made major error with one West Ham star this season
Former West Ham player and coach Kevin Nolan believes making Jarrod Bowen captain this season was an error by new manager Julen Lopetegui.
Lopetegui has endured a miserable start to life at the London Stadium, and it increasingly looks like appointing the Spanish tactician may have been the wrong decision by the east London outfit.
West Ham will no doubt hope to turn things around soon, but Nolan thinks Lopetegui hasn’t done himself any favours by putting too much pressure onto star player Bowen by giving him the captain’s armband.
Although Nolan likes Bowen, he feels this has probably resulted in the England international losing something from his game as he struggles with the extra expectations on his shoulders with that new role.
Jarrod Bowen captaincy decision a mistake, says ex-West Ham man
Nolan was on David Moyes’ staff at West Ham, so he’s someone who’ll know Bowen well, and have a good idea of what makes him tick as a player.
Lopetegui could, therefore, do well to listen to his advice on Bowen here.
“What has happened is that put maybe too much pressure on Jarrod too early,” Nolan said on BBC 5 Live.
“He has just come back from the Euros. If you look at a lot of the people who have come back from the Euros as well, they have had quite a slow start to try and get back into this sort of season. A lot of pressure has been placed on Jarrod’s shoulders.
“Listen, he can take it. He is a big guy. He is a good lad, top man, great professional. When I heard that he got the captaincy, and I know it’s a massive thing for him, I just thought, it is a bit too early for him and would that affect his game? You know what I mean?
“Would that take away what Jarrod is? And when I am looking at it now and seeing him after the game, he is probably taking a lot more on whereas he was firmly focused on Jarrod Bowen and being the best he can be for West Ham.”
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