Whilst common sense – if such a thing exists at West Ham – dictates that there is zero chance of David Sullivan jettisoning a second manager within one season, Nuno Espírito Santo is in – to use Graham Potter management-speak: “A tricky situation”.
Eighteenth in the Premier League, six points adrift of safety and with the transfer window closed for good, Nuno now has to make the best of the squad he has to try and close the gap on fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest and Leeds – or hope he can overhaul floundering Crystal Palace or Tottenham.
However, Hammers fans are only too aware that West Ham’s board did not provide him with the tools he needs. Selling their creative midfielder without replacement and worse, failing until the last minute – literally – t0 to bring in another centre back when one has been a desperate need since selling Nayef Aguerd last summer puts Nuno in a pretty invidious spot as he searches for the formula to start winning regularly.
His chances of surviving until the season’s end don’t look great if the club don’t climb out of eighteenth. And according to footballleagueworld.com former manager Slaven Bilic, approached for the Blackburn job in the championship, still hankers after the West Ham role:
“Blackburn Rovers could face competition for Slaven Bilic from West Ham”
“However, according to [journalist] Alan Nixon, Blackburn could face competition for the 57-year-old from West Ham if they decide to part ways with Nuno Espírito Santo. While there is no certainty of that job becoming available, a downward turn in form for the Hammers could see them sack their Portuguese boss.
Nonetheless, contact has been made with people linked to Bilic, including a relative. But there is no guarantee that he will take the job if he is formally approached and those associated with the ex-West Ham manager have sent mixed signals following early talks.”
In such a madcap season, would anyone really bet against a return for former Hammers defender and Manager Bilic if the Irons look like they’re heading for relegation? The next half a dozen games will likely produce the answer.
We need the new coach to take over at half time
Bilic was a great player for us despite angling for a big money move as soon as he could. He had one great season as manager with superstar Payet in the team and then showed what a poor manager he is when he left.
His entire reputation is based on the Croatian team of World stars that just needed a ball not a manager.
He’s failed at every club side he’s managed barring us with Payet. He’s a lovely bloke but a very poor manager – it would be so Sullivans West Ham to re appoint such a cheap bad option.
We have the right manager at the club and it isn’t Nuno.
Sullivan can let Jemez lead the team, and make Nuno no2 that way if we do go down he avoids the financial hit and at the same time energises the team.
We would be worse of with Billic Always going backwards us lot coyi
I fail to see how Bilic was a ‘failed manager’ when in his tenure he achieved a 37.8% win rate, took the team to 7th in the Premier League, and then had Payet sold from under him and the dubious task of trying to settle his team in the London Stadium, before being sacked. I appreciate people saw getting Slav back after Potter as a backward step, but Nuno has certainly not taken us forward as yet. I hope he can keep us winning but if he can’t I would have no problem with Slav. coming back – if he was fool enough to do so!
Transfer season may have finished but there’s still Sullivan’s silly season to come_FREEBIES.
If Nuno gets the push I would put the new Spanish coach in charge as it seems uncanny that our style of play has only happened since his employment and I heard a rumour he didn’t agree with the Nuno special substitutions in one of the games
Yeah, let’s bring another failed manager in – and twice in the Championship to boot !
Under Sullivan, we will be the next Sheffield Wednesday !
That would keep the fans happy, Kenny. Told you so.