As hard as it may be to believe now, with Newcastle United in the Champions League and Leeds United in the Championship, but on the opening day of the January 2022 transfer window the latter were ahead by five points in the top flight. As Nick Hammond set to work on his one and only window with the Magpies, Newcastle were second from bottom in the table after one win in 19 matches.
Even with the richest ownership group on the planet, make no mistake, that Newcastle side was heading for relegation. That month of business was critical in keeping the dream alive for the Tyneside outfit’s new owners.
Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben knew they had one precious opportunity to stretch their financial muscle and make it count. They trusted Hammond with that responsibility.
Leeds, in a vastly different financial situation, are facing a similar set of challenges as Hammond arrives in West Yorkshire. It is a club with an array of personnel new to the building, several key vacancies yet to be filled and a pressing need to deliver a quick, effective transfer window which propels the organisation forward.
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Hammond, in short, is a smooth operator highly rated in the industry with a very good, recent record of delivering effective transfer windows. This is the steady pair of hands Leeds need for the short-term future.
While Paraag Marathe, Angus Kinnear and the board pick their way through the array of decisions to be made this summer, they have chosen to take their time with Victor Orta’s long-term successor. That is not a decision the Whites want to rush.
There will be a root-and-branch review of a football operation which fought against relegation for two consecutive seasons. Once 49ers Enterprises gets its feet under the table officially, it wants to restructure and rebuild.
That process, done thoroughly, will take time, which is a commodity they are short on this summer. Hammond, it seems, is developing a reputation as the man clubs call in such a scenario.
His knowledge impressed people at St James’ Park, particularly around valuations, as well as his network of contacts in the game. Hammond is also known to be a discreet figure with no public interviews, thus far, on his time at Newcastle.
The footage of his answer at a Training Ground Guru seminar to a Newcastle question was understood to be off-script. His lasting legacy on Tyneside was a focus on tried and tested UK-based players who plugged in and quickly made an impact in the northeast.
Bruno Guimaraes may have been the exotic exception, but Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Matt Targett were all drafted into Eddie Howe’s squad that January. Newcastle would finish that campaign in 11th with 12 wins from their final 19 games.
Hammond now has a lot more time than he had with Newcastle. The window does not close until September 1, but there is an awful lot more work to get through.
The troubleshooter must collaborate with Kinnear and Marathe on a legion of departures, which could comfortably run into double figures. And at the same time work to put together a squad which is immediately capable of staging a promotion bid.
A head coach to work alongside would be a start.
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