West Ham are looking to appoint a new head of recruitment — someone who can help convince transfer targets to move to the London Stadium.
Yes, you did read that correctly. The Hammers are indeed searching for yet another head of department, just one month after sacking Kyle Macaulay.
As you may remember, Macaulay was brought in nine months ago from Chelsea for a compensation package of £1 million. The head of recruitment replaced former director of football Tim Steidten, who had been dismissed just two weeks before the arrival of Graham Potter’s right-hand man.
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At the time, Claret & Hugh asked a top club source whether West Ham would look to recruit anyone else to oversee transfers and were told:
“No, we’re fine. Why rock the boat? It’s a very happy ship.”
Macaulay is set to be replaced by West Ham
West Ham don’t have a clue about emerging talent
Yet here we are, a quarter of the way into the new Premier League season, looking to appoint our third head of recruitment in less than a year. West Ham appear to have finally admitted that they are in serious peril and are ready to spend in January.
However, things are so bad behind the scenes at the London Stadium that by then it could be too late. Hence the criteria of hiring someone who might be able to convince players to move to East London. That in itself feels like an impossible task — because, let’s be honest, who in their right mind would join a crisis club sitting near the bottom of the Premier League?
Dropping like flies in impossible job
The uncomfortable truth is that a director of football should have been appointed years ago and given full control over transfers. To make such a move now feels like too little, too late — and anyone stepping into the role would likely be undermined by those at the top anyway.
Tim Steidten & Graham Potter talk in the West Ham gym
Potter saw off Steidten and appointed Macaulay
The reason recruitment heads keep dropping like flies is simple: David Sullivan and Karren Brady don’t know who the best in class are. No doubt there will be a number of outstanding candidates for the role — but they won’t be on the Hammers’ shortlist.
Sadly, West Ham just don’t mix in the sort of circles that keep up to date with emerging talent in recruitment and coaching. And even if, by some miracle, they fluked a decent appointment, the new department head would quickly realise they have very little influence over who the club actually signs.
It’s the new West Ham Way.