Three Defeats And Gone: What Křetínský’s History Means For Nuno

West Ham supporters wondering how long Daniel Křetínský will continue backing Nuno Espírito Santo might find some surprising answers in the Czech billionaire’s history at Sparta Prague. Because while the Hammers manager currently appears secure in his position, Křetínský has previously been involved in managerial decisions that make Nuno’s recent difficulties look relatively modest.

In one particularly extraordinary example, Sparta dismissed a manager despite being nine points clear at the top of the league. Another departed following three damaging defeats in quick succession.

And having looked into Křetínský’s history, I’m beginning to wonder whether Nuno’s position at West Ham is quite as secure as many of us have assumed.

Křetínský’s Remarkable Sparta Prague Managerial Record

Křetínský became involved in Sparta Prague’s ownership and management in 2004, when investment group J&T acquired the club. He subsequently became chairman and has overseen an extraordinary number of managerial changes.

Perhaps the most remarkable came in December 2004, when František Straka was dismissed despite Sparta being nine points clear at the top of the Czech league.

Yes, you read that correctly. Nine points clear.

Even more interestingly, Křetínský explained the decision himself in an October 2008 interview with Czech newspaper iDNES.

The club’s sporting leadership had lost confidence in Straka’s footballing system. With Champions League qualification looking secure, Křetínský decided to make the change early to give a replacement time to prepare.

He subsequently admitted the decision was a mistake.

Nevertheless, it provides an extraordinary insight into his thinking. League position alone was not enough to protect a manager if Křetínský lacked confidence in his methods.

Three Defeats And A Managerial Departure

The example I found particularly interesting was Vítězslav Lavička, whose first spell as Sparta manager lasted just 123 days in 2008.

Lavička had started reasonably well, but three damaging defeats in quick succession changed everything.

Sparta lost 3-0 against Slovan Liberec, suffered European elimination against Dinamo Zagreb and were then thrashed 4-1 by Slavia Prague.

Lavička subsequently left the club, with the departing coach explaining that he had rejected conditions attached to his continued employment.

So this wasn’t quite a straightforward dismissal. Nevertheless, three damaging results had helped bring a very short managerial reign to an abrupt end.

Considering West Ham have just suffered consecutive home defeats against Southampton and West Bromwich Albion, I find that particularly interesting.

And it wasn’t an isolated example.

Even Second Place Wasn’t Enough At Sparta

In February 2021, Sparta dismissed Václav Kotal despite the club sitting second in the Czech league.

The explanation was revealing.

In Sparta’s official announcement, sporting director Tomáš Rosický explained that management believed the team’s objectives were under threat and performances were deteriorating.

In other words, second place wasn’t considered sufficient protection when the club believed things were heading in the wrong direction.

Similarly, when Lavička returned for a second spell, he was dismissed in April 2015 with Sparta five points behind the league leaders and several seasonal objectives already missed.

These later decisions were made within Sparta’s wider management structure, so it would be wrong to suggest Křetínský personally ordered every dismissal.

But the pattern is difficult to ignore.

What Does This Mean For Nuno At West Ham?

Until now, I’ve been fairly convinced that Nuno is extremely secure in his job.

After all, it was Křetínský who backed the manager during the summer despite David Sullivan apparently wanting a change.

My assumption was that having made such a significant decision, the Czech billionaire would be reluctant to admit he had backed the wrong man.

Having researched his Sparta Prague history, I’m no longer so sure.

There is nothing in that record to suggest Křetínský will necessarily stick with a manager simply because he appointed or supported him.

If anything, what he has consistently demonstrated is a willingness to sanction managerial change when his club’s principal objectives appear to be slipping away.

At Sparta, that generally meant winning titles or securing European qualification.

At West Ham, the equivalent objective is automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

And having dropped to eighth in the Championship, following another dreadful home defeat, Nuno certainly isn’t making that task look particularly straightforward.

Of course, Sparta Prague and West Ham have different ownership structures, and none of this proves Křetínský is currently considering dismissing Espírito Santo.

But it has changed my assessment of the situation.

I no longer believe Nuno can necessarily survive a sustained period outside the automatic promotion places.

And if Křetínský’s history tells us anything, it’s that backing a manager today offers no guarantee he’ll still be backing him tomorrow.