Hammers confusion…Rob Newman remains

West Ham’s recruitment agenda which includes manager David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten is causing plenty of confusion within the club.

For it seems that despite the belief Moyes appointment as head of recruitment, Rob Newman, would be on his way with the arrival of the new technical director, he remains very much in place.

Moyes with head of recruitment Rob Newman

We were told when asking whether he was still at the club  that was the case and there is no intention at this stage of coming to any mutual agreement on a possible  departure.

As a result Steidten – as can be seen from the targets being pursued – remains very much in the Hammers wilderness and according to a source close to him “not at all sure of his role at the club.”

Indeed, as some have suggested elsewhere, we were told that unless it becomes clear what his purpose is at the club he could, as a last resort, decide to resign.

We have learned that it is Newman and Moyes who are pursuing targets and that David Sullivan is doing the financial negotiations which of course leaves the new man out in the cold.

At every other club , the manager is seen as the head coach who hands his list of required players to the technical director who then seeks them out matching one or two as closely to the manager’s requirements as possible.

It seems that at West Ham, this may not be the case at all with the manager and Newman pursuing and deciding on who they want to sign before telling Sullivan to do the negotiating.

The best example of how the technical director’s job works is at Manchester City where Brian Marwood conducts the job as football administrator on behalf of the club and head coaches.