By Ahmed Abdelsalam
West Ham United have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after 13 months in charge, with former player Scott Parker emerging as the leading candidate to replace him.
Nuno's struggles in the Championship
The decision follows Saturday's 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, which left the club eighth in the Championship after 13 league games. Nuno's side have recorded six wins, four draws and three losses, a return deemed insufficient for a squad valued at an estimated £282 million – the most expensive in the division. The Portuguese coach, who took over from Graham Potter in late September 2025, failed to prevent relegation from the Premier League and never steadied the team in the second tier. In 16 matches across all competitions this season, West Ham have conceded the first goal on nine occasions, highlighting a fragility that prompted the club's hierarchy to act.
Parker's promotion record and risks
Scott Parker, a three-time Hammer of the Year winner during his playing career at Upton Park, has won promotion from the Championship in his first season at three different clubs: Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley. However, both Fulham and Burnley were relegated the following year, and Parker departed Bournemouth in August after a poor start to their Premier League campaign. Sporting director Mark Noble, Parker's former teammate, will oversee preparations for Wednesday's match against Cardiff City as the club weighs an appointment that would mark a stylistic shift from Nuno's high-scoring approach to Parker's emphasis on defensive solidity.
