Julen Lopetegui has been nothing but complimentary about David Moyes since replacing him at West Ham but has strong views on his transfer arrogance.
West Ham start a new era under Julen Lopetegui as the Premier League season gets underway.
And they do so with a completely revamped first team squad thanks – in the main – to the work of the technical director Tim Steidten.
Eight new signings have arrived at West Ham and more could follow before the window closes.
Many pundits and journalists have remarked that they feel for the man Lopetegui replaced – David Moyes – as they watch the club’s wonderful transfer window unfold.
But in reality West Ham would not have pulled off a window like this with Moyes as manager.
Not least because the Scot admitted himself on multiple occasions he preferred to work with a small squad.
Moyes did not like having unhappy players around as he saw it as detrimental to team spirit.
Steidten and Lopetegui a better fit for Hammers
As a result Lopetegui was left with the smallest squad in the Premier League.
Now it is bursting with quality and depth, perhaps like never before in the Premier League era.
Key to West Ham’s window success has been the clear structure in place whereby Steidten is in full control of recruitment.
There has been regular dialogue between Steidten and Lopetegui over transfers, targets and what’s needed of course.
And Max Kilman was a big personal target of Lopetegui when he arrived at West Ham.
But Steidten is in charge – and it’s a world away from the situation at the club when Moyes was coming to the end of his tenure just a few months ago.
Things ended between Moyes and Steidten much like they started, fraught with tension. It was a match made, not quite in hell, but perhaps more purgatory.
They are two football men from completely different eras with entirely contrasting perspectives and philosophies.
Lopetegui aims dig at Moyes over West Ham transfer arrogance
Steidten almost walked just a month into the job last summer.
The top source inside the club exclusively confirmed to Hammers News at the time that Steidten was ‘finding Moyes hard work’.
Because old school Moyes simply wasn’t having that someone was going to dictate transfer policy and recruitment.
Moyes had power of veto on all deals written into his contract and he wasn’t afraid to use it.
When there was a clamour for Moyes to be handed a new deal around Christmas time, Hammers News exclusively revealed the Scot’s contract would be ‘subject to terms’.
Those terms were that Steidten would have full control of recruitment and Moyes’ power of veto would be removed.
The moment that was revealed, it was clear Moyes would be leaving the Hammers.
Despite Karren Brady’s attempts to blame the Scot’s departure on West Ham’s fans yesterday.
Moyes knew what was coming this summer and banned West Ham’s technical director from being around the first team as relations turned sour.
It was a last public show of power and when Moyes was let go, Steidten declared his euphoria at having full control at West Ham.
Moyes did a tremendous job at West Ham over his two spells.
But he failed to future proof West Ham’s squad despite pledging to follow the Red Bull model he studied during spells out of the game. Upon leaving the Hammers, the squad was the second oldest in the top flight as well as the smallest.
‘No manager should hold the keys to the future of the club’
That has not gone unnoticed by Moyes’ successor.
And Lopetegui has aimed a dig at Moyes over his West Ham transfer arrogance.
Talking about West Ham’s transfers during a new interview this week, the Spaniard said no manager should dictate a club’s transfer policy singlehandedly – like Moyes had.
Lopetegui said it is the club that should dictate what players it wants to invest in for the future and it is up the coach to get the very best out of them.
“We had a short squad, and the idea is to have two players per position,” Lopetegui told Marca print edition.
“We haven’t achieved that yet… but we are working on it.
“All the signings are to our liking and that of the sporting management.
“No coach should hold the keys to the future of the club.
Duo must prove new West Ham way works
“The idea was to bring in players who could know the Premier League so that British culture is in the dressing room, and then to be able to mix different ways of understanding football.
“The owners want the team to be as competitive as possible and to create a long-term project. But we have to focus on the present. I wouldn’t talk about ‘Big Six’ or ‘Big Ten’. Any team can beat anyone in the Premiership. And the grades will come in May.”
Lopetegui is making it clear it is all about the club not him.
Moyes was often more concerned about the here and now when it came to recruitment.
That was somewhat understandable in the dog-eat-dog results driven business that is modern football.
Lopetegui certainly talks well about his investment in West Ham’s future.
Now it’s up to him and Steidten to prove this way is better for the club long-term.
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