West Ham: New manager Lopetegui vows to make 'big, big noise' in first message to fans
Julen Lopetegui has promised his West Ham side will be ready to make a "big, big noise" after being unveiled as the club's new manager.
Lopetegui, whose official title will be head coach, signed a two-year deal, with the option for a further year, that will see him replace David Moyes.
The former Spain and Real Madrid manager has been out of work since leaving Wolves on the eve of last season, but emerged as the front-runner for the Hammers job earlier this month, after the club's board decided against renewing Moyes's contract.
The 57-year-old, hailed as the "standout candidate" by technical director Tim Steidten, will officially start work on July 1, ahead of the club's pre-season tour to the US later that month.
"I feel very happy, first of all, to be able to be part of the future of this big club," Lopetegui said. "We will try to put our stamp on the club.
"We came here with the idea and the thought to make a big, big noise. That's why we came here, and we are excited by this challenge. Of course, we are going to do our best to help the club and the team to achieve to achieve the best level and to achieve our aims. I assure the fans that they are going to be key in all our achievements."
Moyes managed his final game for West Ham in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City as his tenure finished on a flat note after a poor second half of the season that saw the club slip out of European contention.
Lopetegui today paid tribute to the work of his predecessor, with Moyes having brought European football to east London in three successive seasons and ended the club's 43-year trophy drought.
"I feel we have a fantastic platform," Lopetegui added. "I think the last few years have been very good to have this base, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players and to compete, because football is about this. We are very ambitious about this."
Lopetegui's reputation suffered a major hit in 2018, when he was sacked by Spain on the eve of the World Cup after agreeing to take over at Real Madrid after the tournament, only to then lose the Bernabeu job after less than five months at the helm.
We had other opportunities, but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too
Julen Lopetegui
He subsequently rebuilt his career at Sevilla, leading the Spanish club to Europa League glory in 2020. He was known to be keen on a return to the Premier League after quitting Wolves, despite reported interest from Bayern Munich.
"I am where I want to be," he added. "I am here because I want to be here and for us it was a fantastic day when we closed our agreement here, because our commitment is 100 per cent to be here.
"We had other opportunities, but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too. We are really happy to be here."
Lopetegui arrives with his own coaching team, including long-time assistant Pablo Sanz, with goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero the only survivor from Moyes's senior backroom staff.
"Julen lives and breathes football," said Steidten, who is expected to lead on transfers this summer. "Julen is highly experienced in the way we will now work here and I am looking forward to working with him to grow a successful future for the club.
"He thinks deeply about the game, he is tactically astute and he has shown that he can adapt in different leagues in different countries, national teams. In each situation he has shown his qualities."
