For many fans and observers, then news that West Ham United had decided to retain Nuno Espírito Santo for the Championship campaign was enough to signpost a change in the power balance in the Hammers boardroom. Kretinsky was known to see Nuno as a safe pair of hands to steer the Irons through the upcoming season after Sullivan’s duo of woeful Lopetegui and Potter misfired appointments.
The news today from insider ExWHUemployee that head of recruitment Max Hahn had resigned came a something of a surprise. However, the ‘In The Know’ source added an intriguing footnote, which may well herald the unofficial start pf the Kretinsky era at West Ham.
And here’s why.
Sullivan made it known earlier this year that he’d be running transfers himself during the winter window as – and here I paraphrase-..he’d used directors of football before, all of whom had cost the club a fortune.
All change with a Technical Director promised – pushing Sullivan into the background of day to day running of the football club. Hopefully.
So when exWHU employee confirmed that “The club are also expected to announce a new technical director to oversee the role [recruitment] in the coming week or so. ” West Ham fans should have a spring in their step – despite being distinctly down in the mouth following relegation from the Premier League.
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Tim Steidten grimaces as he sits alongside Julen Lopetegui at a West Ham Press conference
A new technical director will need more mental agility- and transfer nous – than Tim Steidten showed during his tenure at West Ham
For if true, it seems 100% certain now that Sullivan will be relinquishing his grip on transfers and deal negotiations which have caused the club nothing but strife in the last few seasons. In terms of long term planning and transfer strategy, could it really be that West Ham are taking a leaf out of the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton’s corporate set up with professional recruitment teams in situ?
I hardly dare believe it to be true. We’ll wait to see confirmation when a new technical director walks through the door at London Stadium. Of course, he’ll then have to walk the line between Nuno, Mendes and the boardroom so it is a role that’ll call for more agility than Tim Steidten famously managed, falling out with both Moyes and Lopetegui before getting his own marching orders.
Never a dull moment at West Ham United but just, possibly, a new era on the way.