West Ham United turned to a proven Championship escape artist on Wednesday, handing former captain Scott Parker the head coach job 24 hours after they sacked Nuno Espírito Santo.
The club confirmed the appointment in a statement on its website.
Parker, 46, signs a two-and-a-half-year contract and is expected to take charge of Wednesday evening’s Championship fixture against Cardiff City, leaving him almost no time to settle in.
The numbers back West Ham’s choice. Parker has led three clubs out of the second tier, and all three escaped: Fulham in 2020, Bournemouth in 2022 and Burnley in 2025. His work at Burnley earned him the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award for 2024/25.
His record as a player at the club is just as strong. Parker made 129 appearances for West Ham between 2007 and 2011 and won the Hammer of the Year award three seasons in a row.
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He then claimed the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award for 2010/11, becoming only the second West Ham player to win it after Bobby Moore.
West Ham appearances:129 (2007-2011)
Hammer of the Year awards: 3, all consecutive
FWA Footballer of the Year:2010/11, second Hammer after Bobby Moore
Promotions as manager: (Fulham 2020, Bournemouth 2022, Burnley 2025)
Championship Manager of the Season: 2024/25
Parker surrounds himself with familiar faces. First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist him, while former team-mate Mark Noble will work closely with him. The club will announce the permanent backroom structure in due course.
Parker wasted no time declaring his feelings. “It is a very proud moment for me to step into this role and return to a Club that means so much to me and my family,” he said. He recalled four years of “probably the best football I played in my career” and praised the bond he built with the fans.
He also made his target clear. “I’ve been in this division three times and I’ve got out of this division three times,” Parker said. “This is a tough division, there is absolutely no denying it.”
The coach pinpointed consistency as the key. He promised to use every ounce of his experience and knowledge to deliver it, and said commitment levels would give West Ham their best chance of escape.
Parker credited owners Karim Virani and Daniel Křetínský for sharing his ambition. He said his first calls with them showed they want to return West Ham to the Premier League as quickly as possible, and he shares that urgency.
His predecessor’s exit came swiftly. West Ham announced Nuno’s departure on Tuesday after reviewing the club’s start to the Championship season.
The Portuguese arrived in September 2025 from Nottingham Forest, but poor results cut his tenure short. Assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa also left.
