West Ham United have sacked manager Nuno Espírito Santo following a disappointing start to life in the Championship, with sources telling ESPN that the club is closing in on the appointment of former player Scott Parker as his replacement.
The decision came after a 3-1 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion left the Hammers eighth in the table, four points outside the automatic promotion places. Having been relegated from the Premier League last season, West Ham are determined to secure an immediate return to the top flight.
In a statement, 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 at this time in order to ensure that the club’s objectives and expectations remain on track.
“West Ham United would like to thank Nuno, Rui and Rui for their hard work and commitment during their time at the Club, and wish them all the very best for the future. The process of recruiting a new head coach is already under way.”
Parker, who played for West Ham between 2007 and 2012, has built a strong reputation for guiding clubs out of the Championship. He previously led Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley to promotion to the Premier League. His most recent role was at Burnley, which he left in April.
In the interim, West Ham legend Mark Noble will take temporary charge alongside Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville for Wednesday night’s match against Cardiff City.
Nuno had been tasked with leading the club back to the Premier League after overseeing their relegation last season. However, successive home defeats and a slow start prompted the board to act, with assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa also departing.