All-Powerful Graham Potter Doesn’t Need Dan Ashworth
“We are a very happy ship—why rock the boat?” That was the response Claret & Hugh received from a high-ranking West Ham United source when asked about the club’s interest in hiring Dan Ashworth.
Ashworth, of course, was the former Director of Football who formed part of the famous five at Brighton alongside Graham Potter, Tony Bloom, Paul Winstanley, and Kyle Macaulay.
West Ham have recently parachuted Potter into the Hammers hot seat, and he has been joined by data analyst Macaulay—his trusted lieutenant, whom he previously took to Chelsea and pretty much everywhere else.
Winstanley remains in West London, Bloom is still the Seagulls chairman and going nowhere, leaving only Ashworth. Following spells at Newcastle and Manchester United, “Dan the Man” is currently out of work, fuelling speculation about a potential move to the London Stadium.
However, Potter isn’t pushing for a reunion, and who can blame him? Right now, the new Hammers boss holds all the power and doesn’t need (or possibly even want) a Director of Football overseeing him.
Somehow, Potter has gone from being offered a short-term deal at West Ham to having near-total control at the club. Ironically, he now has precisely the kind of authority that was denied to David Moyes in his final contract negotiations, as the club sought to implement a continental football hierarchy.
So it’s no surprise that the club shut down the Ashworth rumours instantly. West Ham have installed an old-school Alex Ferguson-style managerial structure, and everyone seems cock-a-hoop about it.
A little over two weeks ago, Wikipedia changed Graham Potter’s title from “head coach” to “manager.” It was a small detail—but absolutely spot-on.
We had a Director of football named SNIDEn and look where that got us old men and crocks
The MANAGER not COACH knows how he wants to set up the team to play his style
So in my opinion a director of foot ball should be nowhere near in a higher position than the manager To that point why does any team need them
Breaking new . After 2 b2b wins , the tail wags the dog at West Ham. again.
Obviously a ‘head coach ‘ wouldn’t want a dof above him diminishing his power. Therefore it shouldn’t be his decision.
Likewise the all wise Sullivan doesn’t want (never actually did) to relinquish footballing decisions to a dof either.
So much for progress then.
All good until the wheels eventually fall off and it’s all change yet again.
Clown club.
Personally if I was in charge I would hire Ashworth to do the negotiating on deals and that would be it be honest. Give him that job under whatever title you like. But knowing how Sullivan loves to low ball offers and “try really hard” to negotiate deals then I know it won’t happen. Ashworth has the experience of negotiating the best possible deal for the buying so you know you will be in safe hands.