David Sullivan held another late interview for new West Ham manager before Nuno Espirito Santo
West Ham United opted to sack Graham Potter just five games into the Premier League season after a torrid run of form.
West Ham’s only win was against new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who was boss of Nottingham Forest at the time, and their poor returns has left the Hammers 19th in the infant Premier League table.
This is now Nuno‘s fourth Premier League job after managing Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest.
West Ham were swift in employing Nuno and announced the Portuguese’s arrival the same day Potter was sacked by West Ham.
West Ham were close to a change of heart
Nuno arrives only weeks after losing his job at Nottingham Forest.
The 51-year-old ended his time in the Midlands when his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis broke down due to disagreements over transfer activity.
Although his time at Forest ended abruptly, he became the first manager to guide the club to a European competition since Frank Clark in 1995.
However, Nuno came close to losing out on the job in East London after David Sullivan interviewed a former West Ham midfielder.
The Sun reported that former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was interviewed for the role of manager, but the fresh approach persuaded the 51-year-old to take the job.
O’Neil played for the club from 2011 to 2013 and was a key player in their promotion-winning season in 2012.
The 42-year-old was replaced as Wolves manager in December 2024.
Read more: Tony Cottee shares West Ham player reaction as David Sullivan fiasco called out again
Nuno Espirito Santo can make West Ham believe again
It has been a turbulent year for West Ham.
After sacking Julen Lopetegui, their new appointment now means this is their third manager of the year.
Following the highs of winning the Europa Conference League in 2023, it is hard to believe the club finds itself in turmoil once again.
| Everton | A |
| Arsenal | A |
| Brentford | H |
| Leeds United | A |
| Newcastle | H |
Except for his stint at Spurs, Nuno has fast-tracked his teams to the upper echelons of the table.
He took a Wolves team from the Championship to seventh in the Premier League, and navigated financial troubles at Nottingham Forest to secure another top-seven finish and an FA Cup semi-final.
The upcoming fixtures will provide their difficulties, particularly since the Portuguese has not had a bedding-in period.
But his proven record of orchestrating a U-turn within a club should bring excitement for the Hammers.
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