David Moyes details ideal transfer model, shares West Ham chances
David Moyes wants to emulate the Red Bull blueprint for player acquisition and development at West Ham but doubts whether it will be possible.
The Hammers manager spoke to Football London about his aspirations for how to run a football club, saying: “I have been really impressed with the Red Bull model with the amount of young players they produce.”
The energy drinks brand control a number of sides around the world, with German side RB Leipzig the biggest, and clubs in Salzburg and New York also prominent, where youngsters can be placed where suits them best.
“It is like a conveyor belt where they buy really young but quite expensive players. Whether they go on to play for Salzburg or Leipzig or the Red Bull team in New York, Brazil or in Africa,” added the Scot.
But he shared his doubts over how possible that is at the London Stadium, saying: “Ideally, we would all like to do that [develop young players] but in the job now we’re not getting that time.
“I’ll be honest and say I don’t think that is West Ham’s model at the moment.”
Ideal world
There is certainly a benefit to running a football empire in the model of Red Bull and the City Group who own the Premier League leaders.
If you can afford to own multiple football clubs around the world it widens your reach and gives you far more opportunities to develop your own youngsters.
But it is wishful thinking for most, and as Moyes suggests, buying a high number of young players is less likely to work out if the manager who earmarked them is not around to encourage their development.
However, if the Irons boss continues as he has been since he returned to the club on a permanent basis then he could be in line to build a legacy similar the one he formed during over a decade at Everton.
And even if the managers change, many clubs now have sporting directors and transfer committees whose remit is to implement exactly the sort of system the 58-year-old details.
The big Premier League clubs routinely hoover up prospects for their academy systems, although the path to the first team is often difficult.
Fans would be delighted if a haul of talented youngsters, of the calibre similar to Red Bull alumnus Sadio Mane and Erling Haaland, arrived in East London, but right now they would be happy if anybody turned up.
The club has been linked to numerous players during the window but so far nothing has materialised.
In other West Ham news, this player linked to a move to the Irons has had a huge bust up with his manager.