West Ham turn to Scott Parker to boost bid for a swift Premier League return

West Ham have announced Scott Parker as their new head coach.

The former Hammers captain has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal and his appointment swiftly follows the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo on Tuesday.

Parker said: “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.

“(I have) a lot of very fond memories of my time here – four years of probably the best football I played in my career.”

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Privileged

He continued: “There was a warmth, a love, a feeling that I probably didn’t have anywhere else.

“More than anything, this is an opportunity that I am very excited about. I feel privileged and honoured to be the guy that wants to lead us back to the Premier League.

“I’ve been in this division three times and I’ve got out of this division three times.

“This is a tough division, there is absolutely no denying it. And I will use every ounce of my experience, every ounce of my knowledge.”

The 46-year-old’s last promotion came with Burnley but the Clarets endured a miserable campaign in the top flight and he left the club in April after relegation was confirmed.

Parker will be assisted by first-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine, while he will also work closely with former team-mate Mark Noble.

Underwhelming

West Ham interim CEO Karim Virani added: “We are delighted to welcome Scott and his family back to the club.

“He is someone who is held in high regard at West Ham United and throughout the game, and he was the unanimous choice of the board to become our new head coach.

“He has fantastic experience and pedigree across an outstanding playing and coaching career, a clear and proven track record of success as a head coach in the EFL Championship, and a deep understanding of West Ham United, its identity and our loyal and passionate fanbase.”

Parker, who has also managed Fulham, Bournemouth and Club Brugge, made more than 100 appearances for the Hammers between 2007 and 2011 and was named the club’s player of the year three times in a row.

West Ham had opted in May to stick with Nuno despite the Portuguese’s failure to secure Premier League safety following his appointment in September 2025.

But he paid the price for an underwhelming start to life in the Championship, with West Ham losing back-to-back games and sitting eighth in the table.

Parker will be in charge for Wednesday’s Championship trip to Cardiff City.

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