West Ham sack Nuno after poor Championship start

Summarised from 9 outlets · 13 reports · Updated 3 Nov, 16:54 · Archive

West Ham have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after winning just six of their first 13 Championship games.

West Ham United have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo with immediate effect following a disappointing start to their Championship season. The club sit eighth in the table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough and four points outside the automatic promotion places, having won just six of their opening 13 league matches.

The decision came after back-to-back home defeats at London Stadium: a 3-2 loss to Southampton followed by Saturday's 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion. West Ham were among the pre-season favourites for automatic promotion after their relegation from the Premier League last season.

Nuno, aged 52, took over from Graham Potter in September 2025 and oversaw the Hammers' fall from the top flight. Despite this, the club retained him for their second-tier campaign, only to lose patience after the recent string of poor results.

In a statement, West Ham said: "Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary at this time in order to ensure that the club's objectives and expectations remain on track." The club thanked Nuno, alongside assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa, who have also departed.

Sky Sports reports that Scott Parker, who played 129 games for West Ham between 2007 and 2011, is close to being appointed as Nuno's successor. Parker has experience getting teams promoted from the Championship, having achieved this with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley. The 46-year-old has been out of work since leaving Burnley by mutual consent last season.

Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will take temporary charge of the team for Wednesday's trip to Cardiff City in the Championship. The club has stated that the process of recruiting a permanent new head coach is already underway. Sky Sports understands discussions with Parker are at an advanced stage, and it is hoped he could be in the dugout for the Cardiff fixture.

How it is being reported

• 'Players run through brick walls for him': How Scott Parker will fix West Ham - Mark Noble's helping hand, why insiders believe he can shed defensive style... and where it all went wrong for 'distant, dour' Nuno Espirito SantoInsiders say the club is acting with more 'normality' these days under chief executive Karim Virani, and the appointment of Parker feels like another step in that direction.Daily Mail Sport · 3 Nov, 17:07
• Football Daily | West Ham want promotion – so it’s time to call in an understated club legendSign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! While Football Daily hasn’t actually seen much of West Ham this season, we’ve noted enough of their results to presume they were doing OK in their attempt to bounce back to the Premier League after relegation. Less than a third of the way through the Championship season under Nuno Espírito Santo, they’d already spanked six without reply past both Wrexham and Lincoln, while scoring three or more in wins over Wolves, Derby and Bolton. However, it turns out that of the 13 matches they’ve played in a league that is famously difficult to get out…The Guardian · 3 Nov, 15:55
• West Ham close to appointing club legend after sacking Nuno Espirito SantoWest Ham are understood to be close to appointing club legend Scott Parker after the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo. The 52-year-old Portuguese, who led the Hammers to relegation from the Premier League last term, has been fired after the east London club slumped to eighth in the Championship. Consecutive home losses, with a 3-2 defeat to Southampton followed by Saturday's 3-1 loss to West Brom, saw West Ham tumble from second place in the table. The club said: "Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary…GB News · 3 Nov, 15:24
• West Ham are finally acting like a serious clubScott Parker has four things to fix immediately once he takes over from NunoThe i Paper · 3 Nov, 11:59
• West Ham sack head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after poor start to seasonWest Ham have sacked head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after the club won just six out of 13 Championship games this season.Sky News · 3 Nov, 10:29
• Scott Parker set to become new West Ham manager after Nuno Espirito Santo sackingThe former West Ham midfielder has experience getting teams promoted from the ChampionshipEvening Standard · 3 Nov, 10:21
• West Ham sack Nuno Espírito Santo as head coach with club eighth in ChampionshipWest Ham intent on instant return to Premier League Nuno took over from Graham Potter in September 2025 West Ham have sacked Nuno Espírito Santo after a disappointing run of form. The club kept faith with the head coach after last season’s relegation from the Premier League but patience has snapped with the side eighth in the Championship after last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion. Nuno struggled to get his ideas across after taking over from Graham Potter in September 2025. He had 33 games to save West Ham from relegation but his tactics were poor, his team selections were…Guardian Sport · 3 Nov, 09:02
• West Ham sack Nuno Espirito Santo as replacement confirmed in club statementThe former Wolves and Nottingham Forest manager has won six of his 13 league games in charge this seasonMirror Sport · 3 Nov, 08:57
• West Ham sack head coach Nuno after 14 monthsWest Ham United sack head coach Nuno Espirito Santo after their disappointing start to the Championship season.BBC News · 3 Nov, 08:55
• West Ham sack Nuno Espirito Santo as statement is issuedRui Pedro Silva and Rui Barbosa follow Nuno out of the doorEvening Standard · 3 Nov, 08:52
• West Ham SACK Nuno Espirito Santo with promotion favourites failing to live up to their billing and stuck down in eighth in the ChampionshipNuno Espirito Santo has been sacked by West Ham. The Championship promotion favourites are eighth, so far struggling to live up to their billing after being relegated from the Premier League.Daily Mail Sport · 3 Nov, 08:52
• West Ham sack Nuno Espirito SantoThe Hammers have suffered back-to-back Championship defeatsIndependent Sport · 3 Nov, 08:51
• Nuno sacked by West HamWest Ham have sacked Nuno Espirito Santo after back-to-back defeats left them eighth in the Championship.Sky Sports · 2 Nov, 10:04

In this story: West Ham United · Nuno Espirito Santo · Scott Parker · Southampton · West Bromwich Albion · Cardiff City · Middlesbrough · Mark Noble

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