West Ham sack Nuno Espírito Santo as head coach with club eighth in Championship

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 confusing and his signings have not worked out.West Ham are intent on an instant return to the top flight and want to get their automatic promotion hopes back on track. They visit Cardiff City on Wednesday. There has previously been internal support for the former West Ham manager Scott Parker to take over, although there is no clear favourite at the moment.Quick GuideHow do I sign up for sport breaking news alerts?ShowIn the Guardian app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. Turn on sport notifications.If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.If you don't have the Guardian app, download it from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.“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,” a club statement said.“Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also departed. 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.”