Jarrod Bowen under fire as sacked West Ham boss Graham Potter held reservations over captain's 'inability to lead the team'

Potter, who was appointed by the Hammers in January, has been sacked after an eight-month stint in the East End. He won just six games as West Ham manager, suffering 14 defeats, and departs with the club sat inside the Premier League relegation zone. The lid has now been lifted on what went wrong for the 50-year-old tactician in a demanding role that sees success demanded with a swagger.

Potter’s predecessor, Julen Lopetegui, managed just 22 games with the Hammers - the shortest managerial stint in the club’s history - with stability and continuity proving hard to come by. Issues being the scenes are said to have contributed to Lopetegui’s demise, and history has now repeated itself.

The Athletic reports that there were "further dressing room incidents: during Potter’s tenure. German striker Niclas Fullkrug took issue with a 1-1 draw against already-relegated Southampton in April, claiming that the Hammers lacked motivation and "were sh*t". Potter did not take kindly to those remarks and is also said to have endured a difficult working relationship with French defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

It is also claimed that Potter "had concerns about the lack of leaders in the team, and appointed James Bell as a sports psychologist to help his squad better manage stressful situations". The West Ham dressing room is said to be surprisingly quiet, with "none of the senior players" being vocal enough during difficult times.

Bowen, as skipper, would be expected to take the lead there. The Athletic claims that he has faced questions of his "inability" to inspire confidence in those around him. It is said that "although he is considered the club’s best player, he is not perhaps naturally suited to the captaincy". Bowen did take in an angry exchange with supporters following a Carabao Cup defeat at Wolves in August.

While Potter is gone, it is suggested that "there is some sympathy among the players that this situation is not all his fault. He tried his best to unite the squad, but his decisions to get rid of some big characters counted against him". The cost of those decisions is now being counted by all concerned.

Potter said in a statement issued through the League Managers Association following his dismissal: "I am incredibly disappointed to be leaving West Ham United Football Club, particularly without being able to achieve what we set out to achieve at the start of our journey in East London. I do however fully acknowledge that the results have just not been good enough up to now.

"Firstly, thank you to the board for offering me the opportunity to manage the team during the past 8 months. It was an honour and a privilege to manage such a historic club, which holds such strong values for footballing traditions and passion for the game. I'd like to thank all the staff at the club who made me feel so welcome, the playing squad and their continued efforts during my time - and lastly the fans, who have been so supportive during what has been a difficult journey at times. I wish the club nothing but the best of luck for the future. Thank you and goodbye for now."

Within four hours of confirming Potter’s departure, West Ham had announced the arrival of ex-Wolves, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo as their new boss. His first game at the helm will see the Hammers - with three points to their name through five fixtures this season - take in a trip to Everton on Monday.