Scott Parker appointed West Ham manager after Nuno Espírito Santo’s dismissal

Parker is now in charge of West Ham: the club confirmed Scott Parker’s appointment after dismissing Nuno Espírito Santo, the London club announced on Wednesday. Hired on a two-and-a-half-year deal, the new manager takes over a side competing in the Championship and seeking a return to the Premier League.

The move is personal for Parker. A former England international midfielder, he spent four seasons as a West Ham player. “It is a great moment of pride for me to hold this position and return to a club that means a lot to me and my family,” he said. He also reflected on his time there: “I have very fond memories of my time here, four years in which I may have played the best football of my career. There was warmth, affection and a feeling I probably did not find anywhere else.”

The new manager will take charge of the team for its trip to Cardiff on Wednesday. “Above all, this is an opportunity that excites me enormously,” he added. His goal is bound up with the club’s bid for promotion: “I am proud and honoured to be the person taking charge to bring the club back to the Premier League.”

West Ham are eighth, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, despite being widely regarded as the favourites for automatic promotion. The challenge is immediate for Parker, who points to his experience in the Championship: he says he has played in the competition three times and earned promotion on each occasion. “It is a difficult league […] I will use every bit of my experience and knowledge to achieve this goal,” he said.

The appointment followed Nuno Espírito Santo’s dismissal on Tuesday. Last season, he was in charge of West Ham when the team was relegated from the Premier League. Parker has also guided Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley to promotion from the Championship to the top flight. He becomes West Ham’s fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left in May 2024.