John Hartson disagrees with fellow West Ham legend Frank McAvennie over director of football

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West Ham United are reportedly looking to recruit a director of football at the end of the season.

Co-owner David Sullivan is looking to take a step back from his hands on role in terms of recruitment as tensions between fans and the board reach breaking point.

The relationship between supporters and the triumvirate of Sullivan, fellow co-owner David Gold and their vice-chairman Karren Brady is at an all-time low with protests spilling onto the pitch during the 3-0 home defeat to Burnley last time out in scenes that shocked the wider football world.

Recruitment, ambition, transfer spending and the ill-fated move to the former Olympic Stadium from their beloved Boleyn Ground are among supporters’ big grievances.

And according to the Evening Standard, lead figure Sullivan is taking a step back with the Hammers set to appoint an experienced director of football at the end of the season in a bid to head off criticism of their recruitment strategy.

Speculation had linked former West Ham player and manager Harry Redknapp with a return to the club in the new role but the club are believed to have rejected his overtures.

Club legend Frank McAvennie took to Twitter last week to put forward his old striker partner and homegrown Hammer Tony Cottee for the important new role, as reported by HITC.com.

But McAvennie’s fellow West Ham legend John Hartson disagrees and says the role shouldn’t even be being discussed now, if at all in the future.

“Bit naive this for me.. West Ham need to be in the Premier League that’s imperative!,” Hartson said on Twitter.

“I praised Moyes a few weeks ago but the team have shipped seven goals in the last two games! Survival a must has Moyes got it?

“…Let’s have some perspective. Saturday (March 31st vs Southampton) for West Ham is massive. It’s a must 3 points. Director of football talk should be on back burner.

“Top managers won’t always work a with director of football. If your head is on the block then why would you want someone else bringing the players in. Never got it!”