Hiring Julen Lopetegui to replace David Moyes at West Ham could potentially have a detrimental impact on Director of Football Tim Steidten.
If rumours are to be believed, the Spaniard wanted full control of transfer dealings at Wolverhampton Wanderers before departing the club at the start of this season. If these murmurings are true, it’s difficult to see how this would fit with the model of Steidten overseeing transfers.
It is understood that the German has been mandated with reinvigorating an aging and small squad ahead of next season, with much of the scouting for players already completed. I have long suspected that Steidten was merely playing a waiting game this season with current boss David Moyes approaching the end of his contract.
As can be seen from the recruitment of Kalvin Phillips during the winter transfer window, it was Moyes who wielded the ultimate power over player purchases. That must have been a frustrating period for a director of football who ultimately wants to build and recruit as part of a long-term vision for the club.
The appointment of Julen Lopetegui could undermine Steidten’s position, raising concerns that he may seek employment elsewhere if his authority is curtailed.
If we lose Steidten, we lose the best thing that’s happened to this club for many years.. Appointing Lopetigue is just another version of Moyes. Ambitious club appoint Ambitious managers not Dinosaurs.
We don’t need lopetegui but we do need stiedten there are quality managers available and stiedten is best placed to bring a top quality manager to the club lopetegui would be no better than moyes and we don’t need or want more of the same unless of course the owners mostly Sullivan wants the club to go backwards and end up fighting relegation every season so they need to get the appointment right or it’s going to be a very tough next season
I know I keep sounding like a Lopetegui backer (I see myself as a classic fence sitter in this whole WHU next manager gossip), but surely if he has had talks with WHU he knows what the set will be? Plus he’s worked with DofF at Sevilla (Who is now at Aston Villa with Emery) and worked with a sporting director at Wolves
Good article to read Gonzo about the Wolves fallout
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/09/wolves-julen-lopetegui-how-it-went-wrong
I don’t understand how a manager can be held responsible for results if he doesn’t have significant influence on recruitment
We need new owners with a positive vision
It seems that we need David Sullivan to follow David Moyes out the door! Sullivan seems to be past his use by date and is completely out of touch with what’s going on in football. And perhaps he is too stingy to pay out another club to acquire a manager. It seems that Lopetegui is the cheapest option for him so in his mind he is the man. Next level?
Question to Sullivan. What did you employ Steidten for?