It’s fair to say that West Ham’s ‘pearl diver’ Tim Steidten has had an up and down first 15 months at the club.
Steidten described his ‘euphoria’ assuming full control of West Ham’s football operation after the departure of David Moyes.
Things ended on a sour note between the German and the Hammers’ best manager of the modern era.
Moyes even banned the former Bayer Leverkusen director from being anywhere near the first team as his tenure came to an end.
On Hammers matchdays, the phrase “Timmy Steidten’s magic” is frequently heard echoing around concourses.
It is performed in gratitude for the German’s efforts in bringing Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus to West Ham upon his arrival, as well as players like Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Crysencio Summerville this summer.
However, the slogan hasn’t been used much this season as West Ham struggles to meet expectations under Julen Lopetegui.
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Steidten on red alert as journalist leaks manager’s Sullivan talks
Fans have been critical of Steidten on occasion.
Only a few months prior, fans had celebrated thwarting rumoured interest in the recruitment chief from teams like Liverpool and Newcastle.
This week, a writer close to the club told Hammers News and other media that Steidten’s summer behaviour and spending have angered the club’s owners.
Some fans also questioned Steidten for interviewing and being around the first team earlier in the season.
Due to the numerous rumours, he has been conspicuously absent from the pitch. The sack was facing Lopetegui.
Instead he’s been spotted in the stands watching games. Well it seems all may not be well for him behind the scenes at West Ham if a new claim is to be believed. Steidten will be on red alert as a journalist leaks the manager’s direct talks with West Ham chief David Sullivan. West Ham have made it clear they want to try and sign a striker in the January transfer window. Especially after losing Michail Antonio following his horrific car crash. But according to Daily Mail journalist James Sharpe, Steidten appears to have been cut out of the planning for a new forward.
Lopetegui’s talks with Hammers chief beg big Steidten question
According to him, Lopetegui and Sullivan have been speaking directly about possible January striker targets.
Although that is encouraging, it raises a serious concern: why is the manager discussing signings with the owner when Steidten is meant to handle that?
Steidten is in charge of recruiting and running the football organisation, thus it doesn’t make sense.
Sullivan was also spotted with powerful agent Will Salthouse at West Ham’s final home game, which may be a warning sign.
According to reports, the agency was instrumental in the Hammers’ decision to hire Lopetegui and is good friends with Sullivan’s sons.
Additionally, according to Guillem Balague, Lopetegui has been hindered by the club’s summer operations.
Even Lopetegui seemed to blame Steidten, saying that he couldn’t use the players he had been given to apply his preferred style at West Ham.
Conversely, there have been rebuttals asserting that Steidten did, in fact, permit Lopetegui to select a number of players, including Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Carlos Soler, and Guido Rodriguez.
If this arrangement is going to work for West Ham, it seems like some clarification is required.
In a recent interview, former manager Moyes expressed his disapproval of West Ham’s new organisational structure.
Following the Mail journalist’s allegation, it will be intriguing to observe how the January transfer window plays out.
