With the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Max Kilman signed, sealed, and delivered, the real work is about to begin for Tim Steidten.
West Ham’s director of football was likely brought in for one reason alone: to unearth untapped talent at a reasonable price. Steidten’s former club, Bayer Leverkusen, were absolute masters at buying unheralded players and turning them into superstars. Tim will be expected to replicate this format.
There would have been no scouting required ahead of the purchase of Max Kilman. The player was already well-known to West Ham even before his former manager, Julen Lopetegui, rocked up at West Ham HQ. In essence, Steidten was not recruited to buy Ā£40m established Premier League players.
Steidten has spent the past 12 months building a next-generation scouting department at West Ham and filling key positions. The Hammers now boasts more international scouts than ever before and have bolstered the data analysis department. All of this was put in place by West Ham’s football director in a bid to create a more efficient, data-led Moneyball approach to transfers.
Steidten’s hidden gems
With the best part of 65 million pounds already spent on Max Kilman and Louis Guilherme, it’s safe to assume that there is not an infinite amount of money remaining in the transfer fund. So now is the time for the scouting department to really come into their own, an opportunity to unearth those uncut diamonds at value prices who could grow to be good players.
Far too many West Ham transfer theories and predictions are predicated upon the sale of players who may not be of interest to buying clubs. There appears to be an increasing desperation to offload Nayef Aguerd, and with the exception of Flynn Downes, who may be used as a makeweight in a trade deal, it’s difficult to see anyone of any real value. In short it would be a dangerous tactic to rely on sales which may not happen to fund our transfer business.
That is, of course, assuming the club is unwilling to sanction the sale of any of our big hitters, and I certainly hope that’s the case. Therefore, it may well be time for Tim to dust off his little black book and find the next Youssef En-Nesyri rather than pay a fortune for the old version.
We are going in the right direction, we HAS West ham fans have to stop falling into the trap of we need ‘STAR ‘ names to feel good and to boast to opppstion fans look at who we signed .,There is stucture in place and has long has David Suillivan and his greedy agent mates (salthouse and silkman )are told by our Technical Director and Head Coach said keep your Henderson, Maguires and Mctomney has far away has possible from the training ground we should be ok ,Basically some unknown ,pearls from Tim and his trusted data analysis is the direction should be going towards , our so called scottish ginch left us in crap .Btw Southgate is playing moyesball to the letter ,funny how the be careful what you wish for brigade are up in arms about Southgate tactics yet Moyes is the darling of the media with the exact same tactics late subs , playing his favourites and playing players out position……..
What a bunch of moaning Minnieās still blaming moyes get over it, you think weāre going to do any better without him then ššš
Youāll all be š¢ come mid season
Spoken like a true supporter….
….NOT!
Oh no!! I was looking forward to seeing those brilliant players like Lakuku, ,Callum Wilson, Zaha, etc having their last great PAY day and being overweight, injured, donāt like the cold! āSorry canāt play, having me hair cut Saturdayā, type players, Wonāt feel like home!!!
,
How was Moyes allowed to buy such non suitable players.
Cornet 60k a week & done nothing, Danny Ings 15m & hardly used, Agaurd possible the worst 30m & part reason so many goals went in.
Benrahma lost the plot & maybe thatās Moyes leadership & Fornals 25m really!! yes he had moments but not in 25m class.
What abt Haller & Scammaca honestly Moyes you were ok but your ability to spot good value is very low.
I mean keeping Zouma/Cresswell in the team was either desperate or no idea.
I am glad he is gone.
New Scotland manager??? I donāt think so.
Before you buy these pearls you have to have a solid foundation in the team of which Kilman will be part of ,having signed a long contract . The team then has time to work with them to become premier league players please be patient
Well put?
I doubt he needs you, or a muppet like me, telling him what he has to do. This is not having a go at you.
It’s a very sad indictment of the mess Moyes has left behind and how he let the squad dwindle to has-beens and bad buys (prolly with a lot of help by the agent fluffer Sullivan).
He knew he was going after seeing all his power taken away and did this on purpose. Nice guy, but don’t cross a Glaswegian, even if you are doing it in the best interests of the club.
I’d love to see some gems from the lower leagues join us. the days of unearthing diamonds like our beloved Devo are far from over.
Don’t pander to fans who want ‘names’, get the Bowens and Dawsons in – and yes, I was one of the aforementioned muppets who spouted about Dawson and being a ‘Watford reject’. Not hiding from my idiocy.
I’m only pis**d off about Kilman because of the price.