David Sullivan

Potter’s New Recruitment Guru | Exit Nearer For Steidten

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An Interesting development with far reaching consequences when the bigger picture at London Stadium is assessed. West Ham’s recruitment team to be boosted as ‘Graham Potter to be re-united with key recruitment ally Kyle Macaulay” -as reported by Matt Law today.

The exclusive carried by the The Telegraph confirms that “the Scot has worked with Potter at four clubs previously and will help guide transfer business at the London Stadium”. Which to me sounds very much like a step nearer the door for technical director Tim Steidten, who is pretty close to finding himself ‘director without portfolio’ at West Ham.

Macaulay is, I believe, one of the new breed of data-driven recruitment analysts: In past roles, Potter has asked Macaulay to draw up shortlists and provide suitability reports on possible signings.

Which will be great but – too late do help in the January window, wouldn’t you think?

After creating the oldest Premier League squad, with the record worst number of shipped goals ever recorded in the Premier League in 2024, a defence that can’t defend and a midfield that cannot run at a cost of £140 million, it has seemed for months that Steidten’s star was on the wane at West Ham.

In fairness of course Steidten identified Jhon Duran and sought to go after him before being thwarted. We may never know whose final decision at the club it was to walk away from Duran at £35 million but Fullkrug’s recruitment as an alternative was definitely another Steidten cock-up. Luis Guilherme’s £25 million purchase when viewed alongside Fullkrug’s shows just how big the spend on players who’ve contributed nothing: As a club source confirmed yesterday it is only Crysencio Summerville, from the ten players signed join the summer, who has yet delivered on his price.

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From the old Bobby Moore Upper to the Billy Bonds' stand these days I've been watching since '03 and a supporter since about 1970.. 'Football is Life' oh yes. Let it raise your spirit but never darken your mood. Life's too short not to enjoy the journey with our Claret and Blue heroes n' villains.

15 comments

  • D.f.butcher says:

    It’s all irrelevant to me I don’t think potters the right man, his reputation is bigger than his actual results?

  • Whippethammer says:

    The ‘club source’ has clearly forgotten about AWB and Soler then.

  • Pete says:

    Tim has been amazing – with Kyle too we’re unstoppable!!! Just need SULLIVAN OUT now!!!

  • Hammer Trev says:

    So unfair to say Somerville has been the only success of the summer when WAN Bissaka has been excellent.

  • Geoff Bunyard says:

    We should all go back to the beginning of the season and the enthusiastic comments of Steidens appointments by all and sundry on this site. Easy in hindsight isn’t it?

  • Q says:

    Why too late? Surely he’d bring his data file with him ?

  • Sheik Yerbouti says:

    Why no mention of Wan Bisaka by the so called “club source”?
    At 15 million the best bargain of the summer transfers.

  • Ray says:

    Seems like everyone has a different version of every different little morsel of a story that has passed through these pages since last June. No wonder everyone from Sullivan down to the Janitor is confused. Meanwhile, can anyone name a major Macaulay/Potter success story we can all get excited about for the summer?

  • Timbo says:

    Would point out that the article ignores the purchase of Wan Bisaka which looks to be a bargain. I think we have reasons to be optimistic for the long term and if we can’t pick up quality signings for reasonsble fees (no idea how we can suddenly afford Duran) then a few loans to keep us safe is better and give Potter and his team the budget to plan properly next summer. That together with some young talent coming through could be very positive.

  • Jimbo says:

    Why do you keep saying we could have got Duran for £35m in the Summer when it is clearly untrue? Don’t let the truth get in the way of a story hey? Whatever we offered in the Summer, Villa wanted £5m more and rightly so.

  • Rob says:

    He may carry the can for the poor recruitment but someone else still had to approve paying Mr Sulivan!

  • Esexiron42 says:

    I think it’s a great appointment Martin and the clearest sign yet that Graham is being supported in bringing in people he has worked with successfully at previous clubs. This would not have happened without Graham’s arrival.

    West Ham’s staffing numbers employed on data analysis appears to be tiny compared to many of the top clubs, and after seeing his first 3 games, it’s obvious he needs help. The Telegraph state that Steidten’s role will be different to Macaulay and Steidten will still be tasked with getting the deals done. I’m sure Macaulay will already have gathered huge amounts of player data to help identify targets to prevent the usual scattergun approach. God knows we.need everyone working together after the dreadful performance against Palace and only 2 weeks left in the transfer window.

    However I think the signs for Steiden are ominous if we see Dan Ashworth also being brought in after he worked with Graham at Brighton.

  • Frank Reed says:

    J Duran
    My advice is “buyer beware”

  • Dean says:

    You blame steidten for us having the oldest squad in prem 🤡🤡🤡 but I’m sure you’ll La up all the we tried nonsense sulli will serve up. We are already seeing it with bids for Duran that everyone knows will be turned down, but at least we tried eh! You personally have been on a vendetta as almost every post is about how bad steidten is, you think he wanted to spend £40 million on a centre half from wolves? Yes he’s made errors but working with sulli the Moses would be prone to an error or two

  • Paul Basnett says:

    Agree with most of this, but was Jhon Duran ever actually for sale?

    West Ham upped their bid several times with no positive response. Villa didn’t want to sell.

    At the time it seemed walking away was the best action, mirrored on C&H. Very big risk for £40m +.

    What happened then of course worked out very badly with Fullkrug bad luck and the earlier puzzling £25m for Guilherme.

    Even now seems a lot of money for Duran.

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