West Ham United have officially appointed former midfielder Scott Parker as their new head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The 46-year-old replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked earlier this week following a disappointing start to the Championship season. Parker will take charge of the team for the first time on Wednesday when West Ham travel to Cardiff City.
Proven Promotion Pedigree
Parker has a strong track record in the Championship, having guided Fulham, Bournemouth, and Burnley to promotion from the second tier. He has been out of work since leaving Burnley in April after their relegation from the Premier League. First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and Billy Lepine will assist Parker, while former team-mate Mark Noble will work closely with him in his role as sporting director.
Parker's Vision
"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," Parker told the club website. "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. I will use every ounce of my experience, every ounce of my knowledge, to have an understanding of what we're going to need to bring consistency."
Club Backing
Interim chief executive Karim Virani said Parker was the unanimous choice of the board. "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," Virani added.
West Ham currently sit eighth in the Championship table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, after back-to-back home defeats to Southampton and West Bromwich Albion. The club generated around £150m in transfer revenue over the summer following relegation, reinvesting in players such as Arne Engels, Edvin Austbo, Joel Veltman, and Manor Solomon while retaining key figures like Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek, and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
