West Ham Sack Nuno After Poor Championship Start
West Ham sack Nuno Espirito Santo as head coach following a disappointing start to their Championship campaign, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old took charge in September 2025, but was unable to prevent West Ham from suffering relegation from the Premier League last season. The board has now decided that a change is needed after a series of underwhelming results in the second tier.
Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also departed alongside Nuno. Former club captain Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will oversee the team on an interim basis for Wednesday’s Championship fixture away to Cardiff City.
West Ham sack Nuno: a promotion campaign losing its shape
West Ham began the season as one of the favourites for automatic promotion. Only the top two clubs in the Championship go up without a play-off, so a slow start carries a heavy cost even in November.
The club currently sit eighth in the table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough. That gap is not unbridgeable, but the direction of travel worried the board. West Ham have managed just two victories in their last six matches, and they slipped from second place after consecutive home defeats.
They lost 3-2 to Southampton, then lost 3-1 to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. Two home defeats in a row, against promotion rivals, turned a stumble into a pattern. In a division where home form usually decides promotion, that pattern was enough for the board to act.
West Ham said the decision followed a thorough review of performances at the start of the Championship season. 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.”
The club also thanked the departing staff. It said: “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.”
What happens next
The interim team faces an immediate test at Cardiff City on Wednesday. Noble, Potts and Prenderville know the club well, and their task is to steady results while the board searches for a permanent head coach.
The timing gives a new coach a clear brief. West Ham need to close a six-point gap to the top two, restore home form, and turn draws and defeats against direct rivals into wins. The squad was built for promotion, and the board’s statement makes clear that promotion remains the objective, not consolidation in the Championship.
For Nuno, the departure closes a tenure that began with a difficult task. He arrived in September 2025 with West Ham already in trouble, and he could not keep them in the Premier League. The Championship season was his chance to rebuild, but eighth place after a run of two wins in six matches left the board unconvinced.
The next appointment will shape the rest of the season. A coach who can organise a promotion push quickly will find a squad with top-two ambitions and a fan base that expects a return to the Premier League at the first attempt. A slow appointment, or another poor run, would leave West Ham chasing the play-offs rather than automatic promotion.
The sacking comes in a busy English football week that also saw Arsenal beat Liverpool to go top, Brighton beat Manchester City 1-0, and Harry Kane say he would trade his Ballon d’Or for Champions League glory, while the AFC Asian Cup 2027 was postponed to December.
Frequently asked questions
Why did West Ham sack Nuno Espirito Santo?
The club said a change was necessary after a thorough review of the start to the Championship season, following two wins in six matches and back-to-back home defeats.
Where do West Ham sit in the Championship?
They sit eighth, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, after slipping from second place.
Who else has left the club?
Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa have also departed alongside Nuno.
Who is in charge for the next match?
Former captain Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville will oversee the team on an interim basis for Wednesday’s fixture away to Cardiff City.
When did Nuno take charge at West Ham?
He took charge in September 2025, but could not prevent relegation from the Premier League last season.
