West Ham have this morning rubbished claims that director of football Tim Steidten warned against the hiring of the club’s head coach, Julen Lopetegui. Claret & Hugh spoke to a top source at the club who revealed that the appointment of the Spanish coach was “unanimous.”
Reports yesterday suggested that Steidten did not want his name associated with the recruitment of Lopetegui, who has struggled in his first few games at West Ham. Responsibility for the decision to bring in the former Real Madrid coach was laid firmly at the feet of Hammers chairman David Sullivan.
However, the club has come out fighting to dismiss these claims. A top club insider told C&H this morning: “100% he (Steidten) was at the interviews of the prospective manager, and the decision to appoint JL was unanimous.”
This story appears set to continue. For years, West Ham have been plagued with rumours and speculation about who signed which player. The best thing for West Ham now is to win some football matches and alleviate some of the pressure on Lopetegui, who is surely feeling the weight of last season’s events as well as his own poor form.