A shocking new claim involving Tim Steidten has sparked a major reaction from West Ham fans — and social media is full of supporters all saying the same thing.
Many West Ham fans are still divided on whether the club have made the right call sacking Tim Steidten.
The Hammers are sat 17th after a disastrous season following Steidten’s only transfer window in full control.
So clearly the German has to take his share of the blame.
West Ham threw Steidten under the bus when his departure was announced.
The Hammers made it clear it was the former Bayer Leverkusen man who called the shots on last summer’s £155m spend.
Since then, though, many of Steidten’s signings have emerged as West Ham’s best performing players.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville – until his injury – and Niclas Fullkrug have all impressed.
There are high hopes for Jean-Clair Todibo and even Luis Guilherme, whose £20m arrival saw Steidten heavily criticised, has impressed in the odd cameo of late.
Jury out on West Ham’s big Steidten call
West Ham have ruled out replacing Steidten in the short to medium term with Kyle Macaulay now head of recruitment and David Sullivan back to being de facto director of football.
There was a big twist regarding Steidten when Give Me Sport claimed he could be set for a return to London, as Dougie Freedman’s replacement at Crystal Palace.
Steidten fell out with both David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui before they left West Ham.
There have been some conflicting reports at Palace that Eagles boss Oliver Glasner will give the appointment of Steidten his blessing while others claim his arrival might even cause his exit this summer.
Steidten had declared his ‘euphoria’ at taking full control of West Ham’s recruitment ahead of Moyes’ departure.
He stated he saw the Hammers as a five-year project.
But just 18 months in he was sent packing with West Ham’s owners unhappy at the way the club’s money was spent under him.
Now a shocking new Steidten claim has emerged suggesting there was more to his sacking than meets the eye.
And West Ham fans are all saying the same thing about the claim.
According to a Hammers insider on long established site Knees Up Mother Brown, Steidten allegedly told the board that his long term project recruitment ideas could result in West Ham being relegated from the Premier League.
West Ham fans saying same thing about shock new Steidten claim
But, it is claimed, Steidten told West Ham’s owners he felt the plan was so full-proof, the club would come “straight back up” should that happen.
It is stated by the source that Steidten’s claim was “meant to project confidence” to the board.
If true, then it seems it may have had the opposite effect, with West Ham’s hierarchy side-lining Steidten ahead of the January window before ultimately sacking him.
While the Hammers were sorting his severance, Steidten is said to have spent two weeks sight-seeing around London according to a previous report from The Athletic.
Hammers fans are having none of it, though.
“No wonder he was relieved of his duties”
Responding to the claim, many believe it is ‘nonsense’ with some stating they believe the information is more likely an excuse from the board to convince fans sacking Steidten was the right call.
One West Ham fan was straight to the point, saying: “Sorry but this is complete nonsense.”
Another Hammer said it was no surprise Steidten was sacked if the claim is true.
“Why would a Director of Football (or whatever he was) admit that relegation could be on the cards? Hardly going to endear himself to the board with this! No wonder he was relieved of his duties.” he said.
One West Ham fan said players must have been told the same thing, meaning they will be on a promise to a move away.
He said: “Don’t buy this myself. But if true and he’s been this honest with the board you’d have to assume he’s said this to the players he signed. Meaning they have been signed & have great attitude or been promised easy moves if this happened.”
‘Other clubs have eclipsed us’
Another Hammers supporter said: “Of course he never said that.”
A fellow West Ham fan said Steidten simply failed to land and the club must now accept its new place in the Premier League pecking order.
“What utter rubbish! He failed to land, and we still haven’t got an “elite” coaching infrastructure in place. Other clubs have eclipsed us this season. So we’ll start as relegation favourites along with the promoted sides!”
“What a load of nonsense,” another West Ham fan added.
Others concurred, labelling the claim “utter tosh”.
Another Hammer said: “You couldn’t make it up if you tried.”
One thing is for certain, West Ham are facing one of the most important summer transfer windows of the modern era.
And it will soon become clear whether letting Steidten go was the right call.
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