West Ham are weighing potential replacements for under-pressure boss Graham Potter behind-the-scenes, and chairman David Sullivan favours one man in particular amid difficulties surrounding Nuno Espírito Santo.
Nuno tipped as West Ham favourite to replace Graham Potter
Nuno is currently the favourirte to replace Potter at West Ham, owing to his availability and obvious suitability to the role.
A public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis cost the Portuguese his last job, but before his unceremonious departure, Nuno helped to transform Nottingham Forest into a European outfit for the first time since 1995.
Nuno first went to the City Ground with Forest in major danger of a drop back down to the Championship, but the 51-year-old avoided relegation, solidified their leaky defence, gave them an identity and got the very best out of his squad.
On paper, Nuno’s appeal to West Ham is there for all to see, and he is by no means a one-club wonder, having achieved similar feats with Wolves, where he first made his name as a noteworthy Premier League manager.
9. Sam Allardyce
30.7%
10. Julen Lopetegui
30%
11. Gianfranco Zola
27.8%
12 Graham Potter
26.1%
13. Avram Grant
18.9%
via StatMuse
His brief stint at Tottenham is one to forget for all involved, and he was sacked by Al-Ittihad just months after winning the Saudi side a league title.
However, you can make a serious case that Nuno is the best available manager for West Ham right now by some distance, with Potter on the verge of being sacked with looming games against Everton and Arsenal poised to decide his future.
ExWHUemployee is among the reliable media sources to state that Nuno is the favourite for West Ham’s hot seat, and he says that talks have already been held with both Sullivan and Karren Brady as the tactician considers joining them.
Other top contenders include Gary O’Neil, following his “respected” work at Wolves and Bournemouth (Miguel Delaney), while former West Ham defender Slaven Bilic is also reportedly very keen to make a return to east London (GiveMeSport).
Bilic was in charge between 2015 and 2017. He guided West Ham to one of their highest ever Premier League finishes (7th), earning them a place in the Europa League qualifying rounds, before he was sacked at the start of 2017/2018 with his side languishing in the relegation zone.
Sullivan in "regular contact" with Bilic as West Ham dealt Nuno roadblock
While Nuno is still the managerial favourite, journalist Pete O’Rourke has now said that West Ham have been dealt a roadblock regarding his potential appointment.
In a piece for Football Insider, the reporter claims that ‘legal issues’ are delaying a move for Nuno, so much so that they could even be forced to push back Potter’s sacking, with it now being unlikely he’ll leave before the October international break.
The legalities around Nuno surround his departure from Forest, and until they’re resolved, the race to replace Potter remains open.
Sullivan is apparently in regular contact with Bilic as a West Ham alternative to Nuno, and the Croatian would be the Irons chairman’s first choice.
However, Bilic would only be given the job on a short-term basis, even if insiders like ExWHUemployee have claimed that the former West Brom boss is already plotting a major backroom reshuffle.
Manager
Bilic
Potter
Games
109
25
Wins
42
6
Draws
30
5
Losses
37
14
Points per Game
1.43
0.92
Goals Scored
160
30
Goals Conceded
167
41
Mark Noble could come in as his assistant coach if he gets the job, with Julian Dicks also potentially joining Bilic’s would-be team of staff.
In terms of whether Bilic is the right man, even just for the season, the jury is very much still out — as best encapsulated by a confused Simon Jordan.
“Why was Bilic fired the first time around? And why would West Ham fans embrace him?” Jordan said on talkSPORT.
“I would imagine he was fired because there was a changing of the perspective, the ownership wasn’t comfortable with what he was doing, and the fans were on the turn.
“With all due respect to Bilic, I like him a lot and I like the way he speaks. He is a great speaker and a great personality. But what has he done since leaving West Ham?”
