Claret & Hugh have been told by a top transfer insider that West Ham are nowhere near ready to begin building a squad for the Championship next season.
Following the fallout from the Hammers’ defeat against Newcastle United at the weekend, and what now feels like near-certain relegation, there has already been growing speculation surrounding which players will leave the London Stadium this summer.
With as many as seven first-team players linked with moves away, West Ham are facing a recruitment drive of unprecedented proportions.
And according to one agent who spoke to Claret & Hugh, the club simply do not currently possess the right people to oversee it.
“West Ham don’t have anyone to do that.”
West Ham Recruitment Structure Under Fire
Speaking yesterday evening, the source said:
“West Ham’s biggest problem for a long time has been recruitment and that all comes down to the ownership.
“They’ve been terrible at hiring players and managers but when you go down to the Championship, you need people inside the club who understand the division and understand who to buy.
“And I don’t see anyone at that club with that sort of expertise.”
The insinuation is pretty clear.
With David Sullivan still effectively at the helm and no recognised director of football — or indeed even a dedicated negotiator — West Ham currently appear to be in no position to seriously start bidding for players.
More worryingly, it also raises the question of who is even identifying targets and making football decisions behind the scenes.
West Ham Already Falling Behind Rivals
That immediately leaves the Hammers at a disadvantage.
Particularly when clubs such as Wolverhampton Wanderers already appear well into the process of preparing for next season, as demonstrated by their move for Raúl Jiménez from Fulham.
Granted, West Ham are not mathematically relegated yet.
But if the club are serious about avoiding complete chaos this summer, they will need to move quickly and appoint a specialist recruitment structure before they can even begin thinking about signing players.
A wholesale clear out would be great news for a new manager and his newly appointed backroom staff.
Just pick the right manager and watch them go.
David Sullivan was badly advised and persuaded to follow this route before. Tim Steidten got carried away with his wheel barrows full of money. Julen Lopetegui just was not the right man. He had all the backing he wanted but came up short as he found himself out of his depth.
To be avoided at all costs are the managers in the mould of Grant and Pellegrini. Curbishleys and Roeders need not apply.
Maybe – just maybe – the likes of Scott Parker or Kevin Nolan might be able to guide us in the right direction. If only Frank Lampard was thirsty for the job of rediscovering the West Ham way.
Honzo it will be the same what ever division we are in. Sulivan has no idea how to run a football club and until he goes things will never change
Yep chickens definitely coming home to roost. So when we had potter we had a ridiculously small squad which hasn’t really been improved with Nuno. Thanks Sully now all we have are some academy players playing alongside JWP, Killman, and Cornet with a dinosaur like Dyche barking the team orders. Or almost as bad Scott Parker or Bilic
Why would Raul Jiminez go to Wolves?
Because they are better than us and their owner isn’t a bombastic football no hoper
This is entirely true of the situation as well if by some miracle we stay up and the reason why we are where we are. We don’t have a professional process to evaluate and assess player signings and managerial appointments.
That’s what’s failed us in the Premier, barring being briefly lucky with Moyes, and will be the same in the championship.
It’s run like an old man’s hobby not a serious business.
Hi gonzo, my fear and expectation is that Sullivan will see himself once again as the transfer guru and with his trusted agents we will see them bring in a selection of old freebies and loan signings for the new manager whoever that will be. That new manager will be chosen by Sullivan and we know one thing for certain and that is they will be out of work, dull, unwanted by other clubs and grateful to sulli for employing them. Cheers dean
There isn’t a single working brain cell in the club’s boardroom.
The chickens are coming home to roost.
should be on Mastermind that top transfer insider..specialised subject the bleeding obvious!