Claret and Hugh Exclusive
Back in the 80’s -some of you will have drifted off already – a TV soap opera had half the world transfixed over a storyline that read ‘Who Shot JR’ and seemingly everybody you spoke to was caught up in the ‘whodunnit’ tv plot trying to work out who’d been responsible for the act of tv infamy.
The TV series sprang to mind this morning whilst looking through the communications between Sean Whetstone, Claret and Hugh’s associate editor – and West Ham United’s high ranking source, over the decisions to buy players this summer, over Lopetegui’s appointment and Steidten’s agreement to proceed with the Spaniard’s recruitment.
Because there was an intriguing third piece of information that almost seeped un-noticed under the door and trickled away, before I read it again. It adds mystery to the recruitment of one Hammers player this summer- you’ll know from the photo already that it concerns the transfer of Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United in the Championship.
Whilst the highly-placed source at the club confirmed that Tim Steidten was responsible for player recruitment this summer – and head coach Lopetegui focuses solely on coaching and picking the teams as we wrote earlier, there was one player who came via a different source to West Ham.
Crysencio Summerville has turned out to be a pretty inspired signing at the club, early signs are good following his first – half debut against Chelsea on Saturday. It seems he’ll be able to make the step-up from The Championship in a similar manner to that of captain Jarrod Bowen. So, it would be expected that Steidten would be happy to take the credit for highlighting Summerville as the player to go for.
But Steidten wasn’t responsible.
Neither, it seems was Lopetegui!
Steidten and Lopetegui did not identify Summerville
In a twist that is very ‘West Ham’ our source has revealed that a mystery ‘third person’ at the club ‘loved a good championship player‘ and ‘really pushed for Summerville’: The plot thickens. So – the new Hammers mystery – ‘Who Pushed for Summerville’? You’d expect whoever it was to acknowledge the fact as Summerville is well on the way to becoming a huge Hammers Success.
I just thank Tim Steidten for having the sense to go along with this ‘third person’ pushing – and for the successful recruitment of our new speedy winger. Imagine the headlines if Steidten had quashed the move and Summerville had gone onto greatness at -say – Aston Villa? Doesn’t bear thinking about!
If Summerville had gone to Aston Villa he certainly wouldn’t have been drip fed into the team like he has been at West Ham. None of us can really fathom why he has been made to sit on the bench for so long. Neither can we understand why he was taken off against Chelsea only for Antonio to come on! Things surely not right within the club.
“Things surely not right within the club.”
Says who?
5 games into the season and you’re already passing judgement?
SMH
N̈ot sure why this site continues to basically @@@@ stir when things are not going well .would you be doing these articles if we were in top 4 …..of course you wouldn’t nobody would care who signed who..its pretty pathetic
Agreed, it’s becoming a regular unedifying feature of the site. It never used to be so and criticism doesn’t go down well. I can only presume it’s a feature of clickbait culture. I still retain hope it will return to what it once was, hence visiting. Relevant,valid, genuine West Ham news and insight, simple in theory?
Summerville played 34 times for Leeds United in the premier league so i don’t know where you get this step up from the championship from.
“you’ll know from the photo” (even if you can’t read the headline)
” Tim [Steidten] Picked all of the players we signed this Summer”.
“Summerville signing not made by Steidten or Lopetegui”
Which is it Martin?
It seems you are completely obsessed with who is responsible for what with regard to the new players so you can blame someone for their poor perforlance.
Have you not considered they might work as a team, like any good business.
Jlo might be the coach but I am sure he needs to be happy with the players he’s coach, Tim signs off on the player in terms of contract and other members of the team can also suggest players, eg Mark Noble.
Only a couple of weeks ago it was the best transfer window ever.!!!
These fan written articles are so toxic it’s cringy. You call yourself a fan?
If Summerville is a Sully special gift signing then I feel sorry for him because it probably means he’ll become the new Benrahma bench warmer to not be played by the manager. Maybe because he never wanted him in the first place.