West Ham sack Nuno Espirito Santo; Scott Parker reported close to taking over

Centre · 2West Ham United have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, with immediate effect, after a disappointing start to their Championship season. 1 2 Centre · 2Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also left the club. 1 2 Centre · 2The decision follows back-to-back home defeats, 3-2 to Southampton and 3-1 to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. 1 2

Centre · 2Nuno, 52, had been in charge since September 2025, replacing Graham Potter, and oversaw West Ham's relegation from the Premier League last season; the Standard says he was backed to stay by Daniel Kretinsky, who became majority owner in September. 1 2 Centre · 2West Ham were widely seen as promotion favourites, but the two outlets describe the table differently: the BBC has them eighth, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, while the Evening Standard also says eighth but adds they are just inside the play-off places and four points from automatic promotion. 1 2 Centre · 2On results, the BBC says the club have won two of their last six games, while the Standard says they have won six of their opening 13 league games. 1 2

Centre · 2In a statement the club said the board, after a "thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season", believed a change was necessary to keep the club's objectives and expectations on track, thanked Nuno, Rui and Rui, and said recruitment of a new head coach is already under way. 1 2 Centre · 2Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will take temporary charge for the Championship trip to Cardiff City on Wednesday night, and the club will make no further comment until a new head coach is confirmed. The Standard says Nuno had expected to be in charge for that match. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Evening Standard reported that an agreement has been struck to bring Scott Parker to the London Stadium as Nuno's successor and that it is hoped he will be in the dugout at Cardiff; GB News, saying West Ham are "understood to be close to appointing" him, reported that an appointment could be finalised before that match. The club has not confirmed it. 3 4

Mixed · 2Parker, 46, a former West Ham midfielder who spent four years at the club between 2007 and 2011 and was Player of the Year in his last three seasons, has been out of work since leaving Burnley by mutual consent last season after their relegation from the Premier League. The Standard says he has won promotion from the Championship three times, with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley; GB News credits him with promotions of Bournemouth and Burnley. 3 5 4 Centre · 1An Evening Standard opinion piece says Parker's record also carries criticism: tensions with the Fulham board, a relegation season there, a sacking at Bournemouth four games into a Premier League season after a 9-0 defeat to Liverpool, and a 67-day spell at Club Brugge. It says West Ham will have made clear he must secure promotion to secure his future, and notes the club's £104.2million loss last financial year. 5 Mixed · 2GB News adds that West Ham fell from second place after the two home defeats and now trail leaders Middlesbrough by six points, after a September run that included a 6-0 win over Wrexham. It says West Ham are seeking their fourth permanent appointment since David Moyes left in May 2024, after Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter were also sacked. The Standard says West Ham broke the Championship transfer record to sign Arne Engels from Celtic for £22million. 4 3