The report that West Ham pulled out of a transfer deal for Youssouf Fofana in favour of signing James Ward-Prowse was an intriguing story. However, the revelation that former Hammers manager David Moyes undermined director of football Tim Steidten was by far the most fascinating aspect.
Time seems to pass quickly in football, and it’s easy to forget that towards the end of Moyes’ tenure in East London, he had banned Steidten from both the dressing room and the training ground.
Whilst the club did their utmost to put a positive spin on the decaying relationship, it was clear to everyone that mistrust had grown beyond repair.
Therefore, it’s interesting to receive another layer of information that adds to the picture of what must have been a fraught dynamic between two different footballing philosophies.
Steidten is every inch the modern director of football, mandated to oversee and manage everything aside from coaching, tactics, and team selection. Moyes, on the other hand, was old school; he was the omnipotent football manager who liked to be in charge of every footballing decision at the club. It was unsurprising that the pair would eventually clash.
Happier times? Moyes & Steidten
I’m quite certain that both men would have considered themselves correct in the transfer decision regarding James Ward-Prowse. Moyes would have been pleased with his decision as his £25 million man from Southampton did exactly what it said on the tin.
Steidten, on the other hand, would have looked at Fofana’s rapid development into an all-around midfield powerhouse and seen it as a missed opportunity.
Moyes was offered the chance to extend his contract and work alongside the Hammers’ director of football, but it would have required him to relinquish his transfer responsibilities. As more of the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that a compromise was never a realistic expectation.
The club just wasn’t big enough for both men, and unfortunately for the Scotsman, he paid the ultimate price.
Hardly a revelation Gonzo, I thought it was common knowledge that Moyes had a new contract offer but wouldn’t agree to his restricted role going forwards, hence the mutual parting
Simply and fairly put. The old model wasn’t working and the new model is off to an encouraging start. The TS input to windows has been excellent. He has the contacts and knows the market. The player selection makes sense in a way that it didn’t previously. Hence all the expensive bench warmers and lack of a decent balanced squad. Glad those days are over.
‘Unfortunately’?
It’s bloody scary that they offered him another contract considering our decline in defense and attitude, and the huge waste of money on later transfers. Including the owners presents from his mate Salthouse.
It was obvious for us all to see and discuss in the stands everything you said above, for 2 seasons.
The fact our idiotic owner, and probably more likely the repulsive dame, wanted to keep Moyes is deeply worrying but no surprise.
I loved Moyes to bits, starting when he signed Bowen and Soucek, and grew bigger during our return after lockdown. I lost my@@@@t his first few games back when we were terrible, and thought he’d take us down, but that all changed and I could see him as our manager for years. Loved his signing of Coufal. These 3 were my kind of players, nothing flash but worked their b@@@@@@ off.
Something changed in the summer transfer window of 21/22 and the signings, gradually going downhill.
I’m still astounded they employed Tim Steidten. As a huge fan of the Bundesliga I always wanted us run like the smaller clubs who don’t have EPL riches but found diamonds through shrew transfers.
Let’s hope Tim stays, JLo gets his message over – so frustrating to see him trying to get our players to close City down but the gaps got bigger. Hoping he succeeds but still disturbing our owner would still rather get a manager out of work than pay for a top coach – if they’d ever want to work for him after seeing and speaking to him. I wouldn’t no matter how much he offered me.
Maybe they offered Moyes a new contract knowing he could refuse it. After all, these are business people and probably know every trick in the book.
I live in Germany and like the way most of the clubs are run. (Apart from Leipzig). It is something that crossed my mind several times.
I think (hope) J Lo and Steidten are working well together. No it’s up to J Lo to get a good team out of all these signings.
This is all great and I hope it works out but it is obvious that if it doesn’t Lopetegui has no need to take responsibility for players that don’t work out as Moyes would have. He has a ready made excuse as some previous managers have, blaming DS, but Moyes didn’t. However I am very excited to see how we progress and very much hope it is a successful change. As a matter of interest do all the top premiership clubs operate like this with the manager not having any responsibility for recruitment.
I’m happy to leave the past in the past and to run with the present.
We didn’t lose any star players, the outgoings were in the main dead wood and the incomings were better than I had expected.
The squad looks to be of a size and quality that bodes well for not running out of steam, and we can field a strong team with useable options on the bench.
I’d say that our best signing was Steidten.
How nice to see sensible comments from real fans and not the wild and crude comments which sometimes appear.
Thank goodness. Never liked gim, never wanted him, glad he’s gone. Did nothing at Everton, hired by Manure because he’s Scottish, then sacked. Sacked by Sociedad, sacked by Sunderland – and we hired him twice!
A couple of top 7 finishes and a 3rd-tier European trophy – no better than the Intertoto Cup which we won a few years back for no fanfare whatsoever – don’t cut it for me. A decent manager with those funds available would have done much better.
Lopetegui and Steidten have a hill to climb to achieve any measure of success, but I’m confident they will do it in style!
David moyes had everton qualifying for Europe most of his later seasons. We came 4th in 2004 having just sold rooney. We got to the fa cup final in 2007..I would have him back in a heart beat.
Loved Moyes for what he did for West Ham, I hated all the mistakes and decisions and way we were playing because it was destroying his legacy and the fans love of him. Sometimes and especially towards the end, it honestly felt like he was on a self destruct mission.
I’m soooooo happy he’s gone …In Tim the sane people trust
Moyes cost the clubs tens & tens & tens AND TENS OF MILLIONS in bad transfers but yet some fans still defend him.