Former West Ham director of football Tim Steidten has taken a swipe at how the club is run—particularly the Hammers’ ownership.
Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Steidten was asked to compare his experiences at West Ham and former club Bayer Leverkusen, and he didn’t hold back:
“It’s a difference like night and day. In Germany, clubs are clearly structured, In England, on the other hand, many clubs are run by owners. The owner not only brings in his money, but is also very emotionally involved.”
Steidten received a full pay-off from West Ham when he was dismissed in January following the appointment of Graham Potter as manager.
At the time, many assumed the Hammers would replace him with another director of football. Instead, the club chose to elevate Potter’s long-term data analyst Kyle Macaulay to head of recruitment, with David Sullivan overseeing transfer negotiations.
A club insider told Claret & Hugh back in January that rumours linking former Brighton DOF Dan Ashworth to the club were nonsense, saying: “Why change? We’re a very happy ship.”
Steidten famously fell out with both David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui, to the extent that both managers reportedly banned him from entering the training ground.
Potter and Steidten met secretly to discuss replacing Lopetegui
Initially, things appeared to be improving, with Steidten photographed having a clandestine hotel meeting with Potter while Lopetegui was still in charge. Both men were later front and centre during Potter’s unveiling at Rush Green.
But judging by his latest comments, Steidten is far from impressed at the way West Ham is being run.
I’ve read this write up about Steidten spilling the beans, and it doesn’t tell you anything apart from what fans know that European clubs do their transfer business in a different way. Quiet often I’m reading these stories and it’s basically it’s just nothing. Not just this site, all of them. Disappointed reader 🙃⚒️
I assume that Tim was sacked because he recommended we sign some ineffective players on big wages. It’s always easy to blame Sullivan and Brady but unlike our previous owners they have backed pretty much every manager. Last summer we spent a fortune and expectations were raised. We still haven’t really replaced Dec which makes it tough.
None of us really knows what goes on in the club so let’s stop blaming Sullivan and accept that Tim failed in his well paid job and got rightly fired.
Insightful post, Steidten is possibly right, though there is also the possibility that he wasn’t given the level of control he wanted and that could be a factor in these comments?
Sullivan is taking us down
STIEDTEN IS CORRECT WHERE WE WENT WRONG WAS AFTER WE WON OUR TROPHY WE DIDNT PUSH ON TO SIGN NEW PLAYERS LOOK AT OUR RECORD SINCE WE HAD GREAT CHANCE TO FINISH TOP 6 UNFORTUNATELY LOOK AT SPURS NOW BRINGING IN TOP QUALITY TALENT TAKE NOTE W HAM OWNERS WHAT COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN
I’m not sure your recollections are the same as mine.
West Ham brought in a whole host of new players following the winning of a trophy and the not inconsiderable loss of Declan Rice.
Unfortunately, the Moyes new contract situation (And withdrawal) brought about a change of attitude.
And I cannot accept that the fans ‘Moyes Out’ campaign played into it.
I’m not sure your recollections are the same as mine.
West Ham brought in a whole host of new players following the winning of a trophy and the not inconsiderable loss of Declan Rice.
I think what Steidten is saying is he isn’t impressed with Sullivan or Brady, well neither is 98% of the fan base ! 👎
Whilst I’m not a fan of Sullivan, the fact he is “very emotionally involved” is probably not the worst charge in the world. I mean we’re all emotionally involved aren’t we because we care about our team. The alternative is a foreign owner who has no emotional connection to the club. Sometimes I think maybe we should be careful what we wish for.
Steidten is not alone in the opinion that WHU is badly run at board level.
Well can’t really argue with any of that as is now obvious how useless Sullivan and Brady both are and with their hapless stooge Potter in charge, to slightly paraphrase Yaz, “The Only Way is Down”
Steidten was a competent scout at Leverkusen , however was not ready to be a DOF .In fact Steidten was also hamstrung at Westham by not having any control of signings by Lopetegui and Sullivan . Westham are a disorganized mess from top to bottom and guaranteed to be stumbling over signings after the new season starts .
I think there are quite a few West Ham supporters who agree with Steiden.
I’m far from impressed by the way that West Ham is being run.
“with David Sullivan overseeing transfer negotiations.”
That went well then.