West Ham appoint Scott Parker as head coach on two-and-a-half-year deal
West Ham have named former midfielder Scott Parker as their new head coach, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo after a poor start to the Championship season.
West Ham United have confirmed Scott Parker as their new head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract, with the former midfielder returning to a club where he spent part of his playing career. The 46-year-old takes over from Nuno Espirito Santo, who was dismissed on Tuesday following a disappointing opening to the Championship campaign.
Parker's first match in charge comes on Wednesday, when West Ham travel to Cardiff City. First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist him, while sporting director Mark Noble, a former team-mate of Parker, will work closely with the new head coach. The club said further backroom announcements would follow in the coming days and weeks.
Parker arrives with a strong record of promotion from the Championship, having led Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley out of the division. He has been out of work since leaving Burnley in April following their relegation from the Premier League. West Ham currently sit eighth in the table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, after back-to-back home defeats by Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.
The squad was reshaped over the summer following relegation, with the departures of players including Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville and James Ward-Prowse generating about £150m. West Ham spent a Championship record £22m on midfielder Arne Engels from Celtic, reportedly £12m on Norwegian winger Edvin Austbo, and added Joel Veltman and Manor Solomon on free transfers, while retaining Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Parker described the appointment as a proud moment and said his relationship with the West Ham fanbase had stood out. Interim chief executive Karim Virani said Parker was the unanimous choice of the board, citing his experience, promotion record and understanding of the club. Supporters' satisfaction with the appointment will be judged on whether he can halt the recent slide and mount a promotion challenge.
Image: Shutterstock / BBC Sport
