“Scot Will Be There” Parker’s First West Ham Decisions Could Come Within Hours

Claret & Hugh has been informed within the past few moments that incoming West Ham manager Scott Parker is likely to have some input into team selection for tomorrow night’s Championship game against Cardiff City. The former Hammers midfielder is also expected to attend the match, despite Mark Noble being set to take charge on the touchline.

As West Ham confirmed in their official statement earlier today, Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville have been placed in temporary charge of preparations following the dismissal of Nuno Espírito Santo. However, the information we’ve received suggests that Parker could still have a say in the team that faces Cardiff.

A C&H source told us just moments ago: “Scot will be there and he’ll have some influence on the team even if he can’t do all of it.”

West Ham’s final training session ahead of the match took place earlier today at Rush Green, before Parker had even signed his proposed two-and-a-half-year contract. But that doesn’t mean he will have no input at all, particularly with the new manager expected to be in attendance tomorrow evening.

Scott Parker Could Have An Immediate Influence

Being something of a Championship specialist, and of course a former Hammer, Parker will already be familiar with West Ham’s form and performances this season. I suspect he’ll also have a reasonable idea of which players he wants in the team and which ones might benefit from a spell on the sidelines.

As Claret & Hugh revealed earlier today, Parker’s proposed contract is closely tied to West Ham securing promotion this season. With that in mind, there is every reason for him to want to influence proceedings as quickly as possible, even if Noble is the man officially overseeing tomorrow’s game.

And, to be perfectly honest, I don’t think Parker needs to reinvent the wheel to make some immediate improvements.

There are a couple of really easy wins available to the new Irons gaffer, and some of them should be blindingly obvious to anybody who has watched West Ham over the past few months.

Three Simple Changes Could Improve West Ham

Firstly, a rousing team talk and a little bit of urgency might be enough to address West Ham’s dreadful starts to games. It was a recurring problem under Nuno Espírito Santo, and one the former manager never seemed capable of fixing. Getting the players motivated and ready to compete from the opening whistle would be a welcome change.

Then there’s the fairly straightforward business of putting round pegs in round holes. For starters, let’s play an actual left-back in the left-back position. That alone would immediately improve the balance of the team rather than continuing to ask players to operate in unfamiliar roles.

Finding the right blend in midfield would also be of huge benefit. West Ham have spent far too much time surrendering control of what is arguably the most important area of the pitch, despite having some talented options available. Getting that balance right could make an enormous difference to the team’s performances.

And finally, there’s Jarrod Bowen. Surely one of the most obvious priorities for any incoming West Ham manager is getting our best attacking player into as many goalscoring positions as possible. Bowen has spent far too much time being asked to produce something out of nothing, and a better-functioning team should make his job considerably easier.

Okay, it’s all a bit paint by numbers, and there’s nothing particularly revolutionary or overly tactical about those suggestions. But that’s rather the point.

West Ham’s problems have often appeared so obvious that you wonder why they’ve been allowed to continue for so long. Parker doesn’t necessarily need weeks on the training ground to recognise them, and even a quick word with the players before kick-off might help address some of the most glaring deficiencies.

Of course, Noble will be responsible for managing the team against Cardiff, and there’s only so much Parker can realistically influence before he’s properly taken charge.

But if the new manager can offer a few sensible suggestions and inject a little urgency into proceedings, I’d suggest that would already be a step in the right direction.