West Ham sack: ‘Tim Steidten sightseeing for weeks’ as transfer window went on
Tim Steidten was “sightseeing” during the transfer window prior to his exit as West Ham technical director, according to Alex Crook.
The Hammers confirmed in an official club statement on 4 February that the German had left the club, following the arrival of Graham Potter, and subsequently his head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
Despite being heavily involved in West Ham’s summer recruitment, that saw them spend around £120m [transfermarkt] on new players, Steidten reportedly had no input in the Hammers’ business in January.
Instead, the German was reportedly sightseeing in London, as Potter and Macaulay took charge of the East London club’s recruitment.
Crook gave his views on talkSPORT, and when asked by Jim White if Steidten leaving came as a surprise, he said (10.49am): “No not at all, one of the first things that Graham Potter demanded when he came in was his own head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay from Chelsea.
“It’s my understanding that Tim Steidten did not have any input in the January transfer window.
“That was all done by Potter and Macaulay, so his position was untenable really. It’s just been a case of agreeing some kind of severance package.
“Someone told me he had been sightseeing in London for the past two or three weeks!
“I think there will be some relief all round there, they thank him for his recruitment efforts [in a club statement], but I think some of his purchases haven’t particularly worked out, have they.”
West Ham new boss Graham Potter turns to former striker Evan Ferguson for goals
Football Insider Verdict
Less than a month after taking over from Julen Lopetegui, Graham Potter has already made wholesale changes at the club.
Following injuries to Michail Antonio and summer signing Niclas Fullkrug, the Hammers have struggled for goals this term.
By bringing in Evan Ferguson – whom Potter gave his debut to at the age of 16 years-old – West Ham have solved their striker issue, in the short-term at least.
It is not just changes in the playing squad that are giving Potter the upper hand on his predecessor, as the Englishman is now employing a similar style to Ruben Amorim at Man United, playing with three centre-halves and two attacking midfielders, close to a lone striker.
The system suits the players Potter has at his disposal, Carlos Soler is starting to show his quality and Lucas Paqueta remains one of the most tenacious and technically talented midfielders in the Premier League when played behind a striker.
Despite losing 2-1 against Chelsea (3 February), the Irons took a deserved lead in the first half thanks to superstar Jarrod Bowen, and performed admirably despite missing the aforementioned strikers Fullkrug and Antonio, as well as his centre-half Jean-Clair Todibo.
With a healthy backline, and Ferguson being supported by West Ham’s talented midfield, Potter now has the building blocks in place for a successful tenure in charge of one of London’s most historic clubs.
In other news, a deadline day deal collapsed for the Hammers.
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