WEST HAM UNITED have sacked manager Graham Potter after only nine months in charge.
Former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo is tipped to take over the troubled Premier League club.
Potter’s exit was widely expected after the Hammers slumped to second bottom of the table ahead of Monday’s trip to Everton.
Nuno is expected to replace Potter in time for the clash with Everton after reports the Portuguese coach has had positive talks with the West Ham board.
Potter managed just three points from West Ham’s five league matches this season.
West Ham also crashed out of the League Cup against Wolves under his management.
The former Chelsea and Brighton manager only took the reins at the London Stadium in January.
Last season’s disappointing 14th place finish put pressure on him to hit the ground running this season.
Last weekend’s home defeat against Crystal Palace proved the final straw for the board.
Potter lost five of West Ham’s six games this season before his dismissal.
He was relieved of his duties less than 24 hours after holding his usual pre-match press conference on Friday.
West Ham said in a statement that results and performances had not matched expectations.
The board of directors believe that a change is necessary to improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible.
The process of appointing a replacement is already underway according to the club.
In a statement released soon after his dismissal, Potter hinted he felt he deserved more time.
He expressed disappointment at leaving West Ham United without achieving what they set out to achieve.
Potter did however fully acknowledge that the results have just not been good enough up to now.
He thanked the board for offering him the opportunity to manage the team during the past eight months.
Potter described it as an honour and a privilege to manage such a historic club.
Former Tottenham and Wolves boss Nuno was sacked by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis three weeks ago.
The pair fell out over the club’s transfer policy despite Nuno’s success.
Nuno earned praise for lifting Forest into European competition for the first time in 30 years last season.
He achieved this via a seventh-place finish in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
Nuno also impressed at Wolves, helping establish them in the top-flight before leaving for Tottenham.
His turbulent 17-match spell at Tottenham ended with him being sacked.
Potter won only six of his 25 West Ham matches after replacing Julen Lopetegui.
Lopetegui lasted just 22 matches after taking over from David Moyes, who is now in charge of Everton.
Despite Potter’s substantial spending on eight new signings in the summer, West Ham made a woeful start.
A 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest last month provided some respite for the under-pressure manager.
West Ham went down by the same score to Tottenham after the international break before the Palace loss.
The Crystal Palace defeat heralded the end of Potter’s dismal spell in charge at West Ham.
Potter lasted less than seven months before being axed as Chelsea boss in 2023.
He admitted the Palace loss was a tough moment as he and his team were booed off at the final whistle.
The 50-year-old’s struggles made him a viral trend on social media during his tenure.
People used AI technology to swap his face on to other celebrities including Barbie and Donald Trump.
Potter thanked all the staff at the club who made him feel so welcome during his time.
He also thanked the playing squad for their continued efforts and the fans for their support.
Potter acknowledged it had been a difficult journey at times for everyone involved. – AFP
