Nuno Espirito Santo will remain as West Ham United boss as the club plot an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation to the Championship.
West Ham beat Leeds 3-0 on the final day last weekend but relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur downed Everton 1-0 to secure their own safety and end the Hammers’ latest 14-season stay in the top flight.
They actually finished the campaign on 39 points, which would have been enough to stay up in each of the previous 14 seasons, but they were ultimately in the bottom three and must face up to life in the second tier.
open image in galleryTheir quest for promotion will be led by Nuno after the club confirmed on Wednesday morning that the Portuguese would remain in charge after nearly leading the side out of danger.
“We held meetings with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo early this week and are pleased to confirm that he has expressed his continued commitment to the club – as we have to him,” wrote the West Ham board of directors in an open letter to fans
“Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season. Nuno has spent one previous year in the EFL Championship and it was an outstanding success as he secured 99 points to win the title with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018.
“While the ultimate outcome on Sunday was a painful one, the board of directors believe that there have been broader signs of improvement and progress in recent months, and we want Nuno to continue developing that progress.
“A total of 25 points taken from our final 17 Premier League matches equated to 1.47 points per game – a ratio that would have resulted in a seventh-place finish across the full season. Furthermore, we feel the clear improvement in squad mentality and togetherness since January, leading to that upturn in performances and results, makes him the right man to lead us forward.”
open image in gallery
open image in galleryAs the statement alluded to, Nuno helped spark a real uptick in performances and results from the turn of the year, having taken over at the club towards the end of September following the sacking of Graham Potter.
It wasn’t quite enough to keep West Ham in the Premier League but the 52-year-old has experience of leading a side out of the Championship, having earned promotion with Wolves in 2018.
During the season finale against Leeds, Hammers fans expressed their frustration at the way the board are running the club and things are unlikely to get any easier, with club sources estimating relegation will cost them around £200m in lost revenue and key players such as Mateus Fernandes and Jarrod Bowen are likely to be sold.
open image in galleryIn their open letter, the board expressed their regret at the way things have played out.
“Relegation is obviously not the outcome that anyone at West Ham United would have wanted when the Premier League season started last August,” they said. “For every single person who is passionate about the club, it hurts deeply and that feeling will sustain for some time.
“As a board we cannot shy away from the fact our season has not been good enough. We know you, the supporters, have backed the team constantly as always and your loyalty and commitment has not been matched by our final league position. We also understand the frustration that many of you feel about the direction the club has headed in recent years.
“Although relegation is not what any of us wanted, we now have to look forward. The board must now review every aspect of the Club’s operation to ensure that when we return to the Premier League – hopefully in August 2027 – we are a better West Ham United in every way, on and off the pitch.”