West Ham technical director Tim Steidten seems to be on borrowed time after the dismissal of Julen Lopetegui on Wednesday.
Sources close to the club have given the German of no more than 50 percent of still being in post in June. More revelations are emerging about Steidten’s relationship with the former head coach, with Lopetegui’s PR team accusing the German of undermining him while in post.
Although Steidten was originally involved in the interviewing of Graham Potter it was telling that Karren Brady took over the final negotiations in the last 48 hours of the deal with the technical director excluded. Steidten showed Potter around the Rush Green training ground yesterday afternoon introducing him to staff but was not included in many official club photos or videos of the new coach which is also telling.
The board was disappointed with last summer’s transfer dealings which Steidten oversaw, the money spent on Luis Guilherme and Niclas Fullkrug has been questioned together with the signings of Jean-Clair Todibo, Carlos Soler and Guido Rodríguez. Account released last week reveal West Ham spent £110m over the summer with a further £11m of potential add-ons on top of that.
Graham Potter ducked a question about working with Tim Steidten yesterday during his press conference, deciding on a provide a politician’s answer stating everyone needs to work together.
“I’m looking forward to working with the staff here at the club, there will be lots of talented people here I’m sure” Potter replied in his first West Ham press conference.
“Part of our approach is to be collaborative, to work together. As I said we need everybody to be pulling in the same direction, we need to be aligned.
“We need to use the resources we have. In the Premier League there’s lots of good players, lots of good coaches. Top, top, top everywhere.
“So unless you’re together, unless you’re moving forward together, it becomes very difficult.
“So that’s the challenge.”
Should Graham Potter remain at West Ham next season we could see Kyle Macaulay or Dan Ashworth reunite with him at the London Stadium
