Hammers head into new era with Lopetegui at the helm
- Published
After four and a half years of David Moyes holding court at London Stadium, it was interesting to see Julen Lopetegui sitting alongside Tim Steidten at Monday's unveiling news conference.
Steidten's appointment 12 months ago effectively spelled the end for Moyes' time at West Ham.
The Scot has never been a fan of working alongside a technical director as hands on as Steidten wants to be.
Clashes over recruitment eventually led to the German being barred from first-team areas, which was clearly an untenable situation.
Lopetegui and Steidten conversed easily and spoke about how often they would need to chat in what is planned to be a busy summer for the club.
Steidten says he is on the hunt for new talent: "England is our home ground. This market is our priority work, but we are not closing our eyes on other markets."
Lopetegui was practical in his assessment of the style he wants to implement: "I love attacking football but I also love counter-attacking."
How the pair mould their ideas together will provide the answer to those who question why West Ham have chosen to break up a model that brought three top 10 finishes and a European trophy.
It is a new era. Lopetegui is steering the ship now.