West Ham United: 10 Managers Who Could Replace Sam Allardyce

Why He Should:  Until recently, Benitez was reputedly West Ham's first choice for their new manager, suggesting he'd be a favourite for Gold and Sullivan. He has extensive Premier League experience having managed both Liverpool and Chelsea, becoming a fan favourite and club legend at the former.

He's a proven silverware winner, having won trophies at nearly every club he's managed, most famously the Champions' League with Liverpool and La Liga (twice) with Valencia. This would be a good prospect for the Hammers, as he could move them towards the success the fans and owners seek. He'd also be the big name manager the owners are after to take West Ham to their new stadium.

Why He Shouldn't: The reason Benitez stopped being the favourite to take over from Sam Allardyce was that he was linked with taking over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid - in fact, he's expected to be confirmed for the role on Sunday. Being a Madrid man, it's very hard to see him turning down that opportunity. Even if he didn't get the role at Madrid, he might be looking for a club in Europe.

He's also no stranger to controversy. While at Liverpool he fell out with other managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Allardyce himself. That could generate negative publicity which the East London club would hope to avoid.

West Ham fans, who do you think should take over at Upton Park? Let us know by leaving a comment below.