Tim Steidten has taken what appears to be a subtle dig at David Sullivan by labelling him “emotional” in a revealing new interview but the West Ham chief has already made his feelings perfectly clear.
There is a certain unease among West Ham fans when it comes to Tim Steidten.
The former Hammers technical director was dismissed after the appointment of Graham Potter in January.
Steidten was just 18 months into what he felt was a five-year project at West Ham when he was sent packing.
His departure came after a botched summer splurge which saw £155m committed to sign nine players.
Since leaving the London Stadium, Steidten has been linked with Crystal Palace, Newcastle and even Barcelona.
Deal-maker Steidten still divides fans after sacking
There is a feeling among some Hammers supporters that the club may have been too hasty getting rid of the former Bayer Leverkusen director.
Others lay much of the blame for the club’s current situation – where Mohammed Kudus is essentially West Ham’s only high value saleable asset – at Steidten’s feet.
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What is not up for debate, though, is that Steidten got deals done.
And with West Ham yet to make a single major signing in this crucial summer window, some feel Steidten is being missed.
Majority owner David Sullivan has reprised his role as the club’s de facto director of football, putting him in ultimate control of transfers.
West Ham United FC v Aston Villa FC - Premier League
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That has sparked fears among some supporters that West Ham will return to an incoherent scattergun approach to transfers which has seen a boom and bust culture develop over the last 15 years.
The Hammers have often relied on agents to get players who are available rather than going after specific targets identified to improve the team.
New head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay and Potter are looking to change that.
Fans have noticed a clear shift in the profile of player West Ham are targeting this summer with a focus on young, dynamic talent with future resale value – just as Potter pledged at the end of last season.
Steidten aims dig at ’emotional’ Hammers chief Sullivan
The speculation suggests Sullivan is letting Macaulay and Potter identify the players they want.
As yet, though, no deals have been done so the jury is out on whether the Hammers chief will truly back them by getting signings over the line.
Now Steidten has aimed a dig at ’emotional’ Sullivan but the West Ham chief has already made his feelings clear.
In a new interview back in Germany, Steidten has suggested working with Sullivan was a difficult balancing act, saying he spent as much energy trying to satisfy the billionaire co-owner as he did putting together his recruitment strategy.
West Ham majority owner David Sullivan spotted watching the women's team in the FA Cup semi-final in 2019.
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And he said that Sullivan funding deals meant he also wanted to have his say on targets.
“It’s a difference like night and day (between West Ham and Leverkusen),” Steidten told Sky Sports Germany.
“In Germany, clubs are clearly structured – with a managing director, a sporting director, and a coach. In England, on the other hand, many clubs are run by owners.
“The owner not only brings in his money, but is also very emotionally involved. As a manager, you have to be able to deal with that. That was definitely the biggest learning for me. It takes real work to satisfy these individuals in the end – and not to work in a structured way and according to clear patterns, as we are used to in Germany.”
The criticism will likely be water off a duck’s back to Sullivan.
Sullivan has already made his feelings clear on Steidten
Because the West Ham chief has already made it clear he felt let down by the man he trusted to lead the club’s recruitment revolution in the biggest spend since the 2018 splurge of Manuel Pellegrini.
When asked about replacing Steidten recently, the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners made it clear Sullivan feels he is a better judge of players than Steidten and the club’s previous recruitment specialists.
“The owner feels he has bought better players than both directors of football he has had,” the top West Ham spokesman told Hammers News at the end of May.
Former head of recruitment Rob Newman had very few success stories and Mario Husillos, appointed at the request of his friend Pellegrini, struggled too.
Steidten appears to be blaming Sullivan somewhat for West Ham’s recruitment failings.
But the feeling is very much mutual.
This summer will go some way to proving who is right.