West Ham United’s newly appointed head coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, says he is eager to make an immediate impact as he prepares for his first match in charge against Everton on Monday night.
The 51-year-old Portuguese manager was officially unveiled on Saturday, just four hours after the dismissal of Graham Potter, and immediately took charge of his first training session. Nuno arrives less than three weeks after being sacked by Nottingham Forest and inherits a team sitting 19th in the Premier League, with four defeats from five games and an early Carabao Cup exit to Wolves.
“I’m trying to get to know all the players as quickly as possible,” Nuno told West Ham TV. “I probably know them better than they know me because, as coaches, we always try to gather as much information as we can. Many of these players I’ve faced before, but now the focus is preparing for a tough match against Everton.”
West Ham have been through a turbulent period, with Nuno becoming their fourth manager in just 16 months, following the departures of David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui and Potter. Ironically, Nuno’s last match in charge of Forest was the only game West Ham have won this season—a 3-0 victory at the City Ground on August 31.
Despite guiding Forest into European competition for the first time in nearly three decades, Nuno parted ways with the club after a dispute with owner Evangelos Marinakis. He now takes over a West Ham side that has not won at the London Stadium since February and whose supporters are increasingly frustrated with owner David Sullivan.
“This is a new beginning for everyone,” Nuno said. “First, we must understand who we are before we can build our identity. The supporters are very important. Now is not the time to ask the fans for anything, it’s the time to deliver for them. When we build that bond, teams visiting us will face a real challenge. But we must earn that connection first.”
Sullivan’s handling of Potter’s sacking, which came a day after Potter’s pre-match press conference, has drawn criticism. Former Hammers striker Tony Cottee posted on X, describing the situation as “a total lack of class,” adding, “The players will be delighted to have their fourth manager in 16 months. What a shambles. As I’ve said before, nothing will change until this dreadful ownership leaves the club.”
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