Graham Potter has finally broken his silence on who truly forced Tim Steidten out of West Ham as he opens up on the German’s departure.
The writing had been on the wall for some time when Tim Steidten was demoted by West Ham ahead of the January window.
Majority owner David Sullivan took back control of transfer dealings, Julen Lopetegui was sacked and the German soon followed.
West Ham officially announced Steidten had left the club following the closure of the winter transfer window.
But it was merely a formal announcement because Steidten had actually returned to Germany weeks before after having his access to club premises and computer systems revoked.
Reports soon emerged claiming Steidten felt ‘relieved’ to be leaving West Ham.
It was all a far cry from the hero worship and praise lavished on the man who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen with the nickname ‘the pearl diver’.
Steidten went from hero to villain and back again in the space of just 18 months.
A number of his signings in the summer’s £155m splurge have been criticised.
Potter on who truly forced Steidten out of West Ham
Although the jury remains out on several of his signings before true judgement can be cast, Steidten left West Ham with the oldest squad in the Premier League despite vowing to rebuild the team around young, exciting stars.
Ahead of the summer, Steidten declared his “euphoria” at having full control of West Ham’s dealings following the departure of David Moyes.
But that window would be his first and last in that position.
While Steidten waited for the Hammers to sort his exit terms, he reportedly went sight-seeing around London for two weeks last month.
Now Graham Potter has broken his silence on who truly forced Steidten out of West Ham.
It was telling when Potter refused to mention Steidten by name when asked about working with him during his first press conference as Irons boss.
It was the death knell when Potter brought in his own man as West Ham’s new head of recruitment.
The Hammers paid Chelsea £1.2m to reunite Kyle Macauley with Potter.
Potter makes it clear Sullivan decided to sack Steidten
The pair had worked together at all of the manager’s previous clubs.
Potter has since said Macauley was ‘always joining West Ham’ as part of his appointment.
There was confusion surrounding Steidten’s standing after Potter’s arrival.
Because the German was captured in a secret photo having discussions with Potter as speculation swirled over Lopetegui’s future.
Having fallen out with Moyes and Lopetegui, Potter could be forgiven for being wary of working with him.
So who was it who really wanted Steidten out?
Well not Potter as many have come to assume.
That’s according to the man himself anyway.
Potter has now suggested it was Sullivan’s decision to part ways with Steidten.
“No, no, my thinking was always having two people,” Potter said when asked if he forced Steidten out – as reported by The Evening Standard.
“That was a possibility, of course. But it wasn’t to be. That’s the decision the club have made, and now I will work with the rest of the staff here at the club.
“I’m happy with how Kyle has settled in and how we’re cooperating as a department and interacting with everybody that is here.”
Hammers News was the first to report Steidten was facing the sack back on November 7th.
The two deals which really sealed his fate were spending over £50m on Niclas Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme.
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