West Ham have issued an eight-word response to claims of a Tim Steidten ban amid the club’s new manager search.
There is never a dull moment when it comes to West Ham is there?
Every spit and cough of the club’s search for a potential new manager seems to have been played out in the press and on social media over the last 10 days.
West Ham have been straddling a thin line between due diligence on a potential David Moyes successor and blasting the managerial market with scattergun.
The Hammers have been linked with no less than 14 managers in the last week or so.
And the club have allegedly held talks with both Ruben Amorim and Julen Lopetegui.
David Sullivan and Tim Steidten have certainly been busy with journalist Graeme Bailey confirming the club has a dozen names on a shortlist should Moyes depart.
That is looking ever more likely. Especially after new claims from The Daily Mail.
Steidten hit with ban claims Mail
The paper’s journalist Sami Mokbel claims technical director Steidten has been informed he is no longer allowed in the first team dressing room amid the ongoing uncertainty over the manager’s future.
“Mail Sport has learned that following internal talks it has been decided that Steidten will not enter the senior dressing room at the London Stadium or the club’s Rush Green training ground,” the report states.
“While Moyes’ future is under so much uncertainty, with his current deal due to expire at the end of the season, and as Steidten actively seeks replacements for the Scot, it has been deemed inappropriate for the German administrator to be in and around the players and staff.”
As with anything in modern football, it is difficult to know what to believe.
So we reached out to the club regarding the matter for clarity.
And West Ham have issued an eight-word response to the claims of Steidten being effectively banned amid the manager search.
West Ham’s eight-word response to Steidten ban claim
“No comment sorry,” a senior West Ham spokesman told Hammers News.
“It is an internal matter.”
Taken in context the situation is not actually that unusual.
It makes sense that Moyes may not want to be in regular dialogue with the man tasked with potentially replacing him.
From Steidten’s point of view that is probably an awkward situation for him as well at the moment.
Especially as the German and Scot used to have regular pre-game chats on the pitch.
From the club’s perspective, having Moyes potentially influencing Steidten’s judgement as he faces a huge decision on the future manager – be that Moyes or someone else – would not be very professional.
Of course many observers – West Ham fans included – will feel the whole thing could and should have been handled a lot better.
Decision must now be brought forward
But had West Ham sat back and waited until the end of the season to start looking at potential candidates, they would have been accused of negligence.
By being proactive – which is a necessity given the major rebuild required on the playing side this summer – and speaking to managers and intermediaries, leaks are inevitable.
West Ham are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
One thing they perhaps do need to reconsider now, though, is the timeframe and timing of their decision on Moyes.
West Ham fans want to know if he is definitely leaving so he can be given a fitting send off next week against Luton.
That would also make Steidten’s job a lot easier as he can focus on a replacement.
If West Ham genuinely haven’t made up their mind on Moyes, that’s fine. But that decision may now have to be brought forward a week or so and be announced to supporters and the manager one way or another before Luton on May 11th.
