Once Graham Potter was sacked last month, it was only a matter of time before the board also dismissed Director of Recruitment Kyle Macaulay. The two arrived together as a team, and while Potter wanted Macaulay to serve as his director of football operations, Macaulay settled for a lesser title as long as he could influence transfers.
Macaulay previously worked as a data analyst alongside Potter at Chelsea, Swansea, and Brighton. Controversy has arisen due to rumors swirling about a lack of innovative ideas. Initially, it was believed that the scouting and transfer of fullback El Hadji Malick Diouf were entirely Macaulay’s and Potter's efforts. However, recent reports confirm that Maximilian Hahn in West Ham’s scouting department was responsible for this signing.
According to a report from West Ham insider and podcaster @EXwesthamemployee on X, Hahn was hired by former director of football Tim Steidten and remained with West Ham after Steidten’s departure last season. Since Steidten’s exit, Hahn has reported directly to Sullivan. With Sullivan showing greater confidence in Hahn, Macaulay’s time at the club was running out. Macaulay also failed to get any support from new manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
Additionally, @Exwesthamemployee reported that several teams have been courting Hahn for a director of football role. To retain him, Sullivan appears willing to promote from within and appoint Hahn as his eventual director. This is a positive step and aligns with the progress West Ham fans have been hoping for. While Sullivan would still have the final say in transfer deals, this move alleviates concerns about the leadership of scouting and recruitment.
As for Macaulay, his reputation remains intact despite what appears to be a failure at West Ham. Unlike Potter, a Premier League team is likely to bring in Macaulay to bolster their analytics or scouting department.