Julen Lopetegui is looking forward to working under Tim Steidten at West Ham United and is excited to excel under the technical director model at the club, reveals Roshane Thomas.
The Spaniard has agreed to a long-term contract at the London Stadium to replace David Moyes, whose final game of a successful five-year tenure comes on Sunday (19 May) at title-chasing Manchester City.
Lopetegui, formerly of Spain, Real Madrid and Wolves in the Premier League, will work as West Ham’s first ever head coach, as the club move away from the traditional ‘manager’ role and allow technical director Steidten to have primary autonomy over transfers.
The relationship between Steidten and Moyes had been quarrelsome since the German’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen last year. The two disagreed on their recruitment approach, their outlook for the club’s footballing future, and eventually Steidten was banned from the first-team dressing room by Moyes following the beginning a very open succession plan.
Lopetegui is said to have no issues working under the technical director model, recognising it is how an increasing number of European giants now tend to operate, and the feeling is mutual – the Spaniard was reportedly Steidten’s number one choice, after talks with Ruben Amorim and Hansi Flick among others.
Tim Steidten wins the power battle at West Ham United Directors of football; sporting directors; in this case a technical director – it takes a somewhat brash, bold and authoritative figure to come in and tear up the foundations in the way Steidten has at West Ham.
The increasing importance from ‘upstairs’ in determining the player recruitment and even tactical input at the club shows directors in these roles to appear arrogant, stubborn and ignorant of traditional football figures, such as Moyes.
This is where the talk of the disrespect towards the Scotsman comes into play – which is right. For the manager to feel he has to ban his superior from the stadium and training ground dressing rooms says it all in what he perceived to be unwelcome interference.
But Steidten ultimately had his way, and now an incoming head coach who appears to be singing off the same hymn sheet – or at least says he is.
The fact the German was a former footballer himself does undoubtedly help with this relationship, and more crucially the trust Lopetegui has to place in his hands to provide him the tools to make the Hammers a Champions League club.
