Whilst officially West Ham United head into the midweek fixture against Cardiff City without a head coach, the Irons will mix the talents of established coaching duo Gerard Prenderville and Steve Potts with the expertise of sporting director Mark Noble to provide the off-field leadership for tonight’s attempt to arrest their two-game losing run and put some points on the board.
It will be intriguing to see the immediate impact which the sacking of Nuno Epirito Santo has on the Hammers’ dressing room when the whistle blows tonight.
Supporters will look for the signs of the handbrake coming off from West Ham’s promotion drive and a team that start to look more like genuine contenders.
Hopefully that means the end of ‘outcast’ squad members and that players will get utilised within their established positions soon enough, so that the era of square pegs being pushed into round holes is finally ended.
Many will feel relieved that the days of the division of the Hammers’ squad are ended: Now perhaps the handbrake could come off for the careers of several ‘outcasts’.
Behind the scenes the appointment of Scott Parker does seem nailed on, whilst no official pronouncement has yet been made. All roads point to the former Hammer of the Year taking control of the West Ham squad, which is an appointment that has already been welcomed by former players – one a former assistant to David Moyes who is, of course, still pretty close to the club.
Kevin Nolan, former captain during West Ham’s last promotion winning campaign, pronounced judgement on TalkSPORT:
“I’m delighted with the talk that it’s Scotty going in, giving a young British manager an opportunity at a big club. He’s got a track record. It’s going to be a tough season”
Former Irons’ striker turned TV pundit Dean Ashton was similarly positive. Speaking on talksport, Ashton pointed out that West Ham supporters hadn’t had a manager who felt connected with them for many years, but all that would change if and when Parker is confirmed:
“They want to be inspired again. It is important to connect again with the supporters… He’s certainly got fire in his belly and will relish the opportunity to manage West Ham.”
Whilst some fans profess disappointment over the ‘low ambition’ shown by the football club in considering Scott Parker, I’d suggest they’ve picked exactly the right man to do the job.
Forget the long term. Climb the greasy pole out of this hugely challenging division at all costs and back in the Premier League first. Then worry about what kind of football you want to play.
Because failure carries unthinkable financial repercussions for this football club. Right now, I’d suspect on track records alone, there’s nobody better qualified than former West Ham captain Scott Parker to do the job required.