Max Hahn did not mention David Sullivan by name when explaining why he left West Ham United for a fresh start at twelve-time Swedish champions Djurgardens IF.
Yet, what the recently-departed head of recruitment said pretty much sums up what most have been saying about the Hammers.
That West Ham United is a club stuck in the past; twiddling with their tape deck while Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth embrace Bluetooth.
Take a look at West Ham’s ins and outs this summer – What deal stands out most to you?
📝 💰
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher summed it up in the aftermath of a dismal 2-0 home defeat by Brentford in October. West Ham are a club in a ‘shocking’ state on the pitch and especially in the recruitment department; ‘almost like a throwback in terms of how they go about transfers’.
It is no secret that David Sullivan wielded far more influence than most Premier League owners when it came to buying and selling players. No wonder Max Hahn – the 30-year-old who wanted to establish ‘a robust, data-driven [recruitment] department’ – felt a little frustrated at times.
Max Hahn reflects on working under David Sullivan at West Ham United
Hahn was officially unveiled by Djurgardens this week. Chief among his reasons for leaving the London Stadium was a desire to escape the antiquated, Sullivan-driven model at West Ham.
“Personally, I longed to return to a member-owned club,” says Hahn. “My time with West Ham in the Premier League was a fantastic experience, but the traditional, owner-led model can sometimes feel a little distant.
“I missed the German club life I grew up with; the unique energy and long-term vision that you only get when a club belongs to its members and its regional home.
“So I am incredibly excited to be able to bring the modern, data-driven recruitment tools I have created in the Bundesliga [at Werder Bremen and Darmstadt] and Premier League and now plug them into the fantastic foundation that Djurgardens has built.
“We will find the hidden gems, improve how we work in every department and help this proud club take the next big step forward.”
What do you think will be the biggest DIFFERENCE in the Kretinsky era? 🤔
Max Hahn's comments speak volumes…
Hahn goes as Steve Nickson prepares to arrive in East London
One wonders if Hahn would still have departed had he known that Sullivan would resign from his role as chairman on June 6th.
Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky is expected to inject £90 million by increasing his share to 43 per cent.
In what will be a highly-popular early move, Kretinsky is set to bring in Steve Nickson from Newcastle United. Nickson helped Newcastle qualify for the Champions League, helped end a 56-year trophy drought, and played a role in the signings of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak and co.
He will take on the sporting director role at West Ham. Kretinsky, in stark contrast to Sullivan, appears to realise the value of putting experts in key departments.
It remains to be seen if Nickson opts to move for some of the players Hahn reccomended to the Hammers.
Hahn talked up the potential of Swansea City striker Zan Vipotnik long before the Slovenian lifted the Championship’s Golden Boot award. FC Metz midfielder Alpha Toure was identified by the former Werder Bremen scout.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
