Nuno Espirito Santo called out live on air for ‘alienating’ West Ham scenes
Nuno Espirito Santo has not been afraid to make brave decisions since becoming West Ham manager.
The Portuguese manager made five changes to his West Ham team for the 2-0 loss to Brentford on 20 October.
He has proven in a short time at the London Stadium, that he is not afraid to go against the grain and make tough decisions.
West Ham’s form has been dismal, they are in a relegation battle, but Nuno has refused to turn back on his stance on certain players.
Nuno Espirito Santo got James Ward-Prowse decision wrong at West Ham
Nuno chose to banish Ward-Prowse from his West Ham squad as soon as he came in, and he has not brought him back into the fold, despite the poor form.
That decision on Ward-Prowse has been called out by Alex Crook, who believes that you need players like the 30-year-old in a relegation battle, and cannot fathom why he has alienated him.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (12:12 pm), he said: “What you need in a relegation scrap is good characters.
“James Ward-Prowse is a good character, I don’t understand the thought process behind alienating him completely.”
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Do West Ham have to reintegrate Ward-Prowse?
The likes of Tomas Soucek, Andy Irving and Mateus Fernandes are not creating enough chances for the Hammers, so Nuno may have to back down with Ward-Prowse.
The 51-year-old managed the exiled star at Nottingham Forest last season, when his loan deal was cut short and he was sent back to East London, which means the dispute likely stems from their time together at the City Ground.
- Ward-Prowse made just 10 appearances for Forest last season
- He has not made a single matchday squad since Nuno’s arrival
- He has eight goals and 12 assists in 73 matches for the Hammers
However, the former Southampton man is lethal from set pieces, and the Irons need all the marginal gains that they can get in the next few months.
Crook may be right, the Hammers may need the veteran to help drag them out of the mire, and Nuno may have to reintegrate him into the fold.
If Nuno sticks to his guns, and refuses to do so, he may find himself out of a job, sooner rather than later, if the struggles continue.
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