West Ham United certainly had their fair share of options when things went sour under Graham Potter but, as Jermain Defoe points out, Nuno Espirito Santo always stood out above the rest.
Hammers News can confirm that sporting director Mark Noble is a fan of Burnley boss Scott Parker – a former teammate of his at Upton Park – and also admired the work Michael Carrick did at Middlesbrough prior to his sacking at the end of last season.
Owner David Sullivan considered a Slaven Bilic homecoming, meanwhile, eight years after the popular Croatian was dismissed by the London Stadium outfit the first time around.
Bilic’s former assistant Edin Terzic opened the door to a return to management as well. In his post-West Ham United years, Terzic took his beloved Borussia Dortmund to the brink of Bundesliga and Champions League glory, as well as a DFB Pokal triumph.
But, as Defoe explains on The Good, The Bad, and The Football podcast, the sight of Nuno Espirito Santo taking Nottingham Forest from the border of the relegation zone and into the Europa League was just one of many of reasons why he became ‘the obvious choice’ to take Potter’s job.
Jermain Defoe backs Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham United
Nuno’s Nottingham Forest and Wolves sides were hardly the most flair-filled, bums-off-seats sort-of teams.
The 51-year-old built his Premier League reputation, instead, upon the rock-solid foundations of a diligent defence, excellent out-of-possession play, and rapid-fire transitions.
It might not embody the so-called ‘West Ham Way’. But Nuno feels like the right man at the right time for a club in West Ham’s position.
“I think Nuno is probably the obvious choice,” Defoe says.
“He was obviously unfortunate with what happened to him, losing his job at Forest. I thought he did an unbelievable job at Forest; the results, European football, the way they played…
“Last season, watching Nottingham Forest, they were like a throwback team, if that makes sense. First things first, [they were] difficult to play against, the team worked hard, had good individuals at the top end of the pitch who can make a difference.
“Played in transitions, had the quality, had a goalscorer.”
Speaking of that ‘goalscorer’, Hammers News have been told that Chris Wood could reunite with Nuno at West Ham during the January transfer window. Wood scored a career-best 20 top-flight goals at Nottingham Forest last term.
Adama Traore, who blossomed under Nuno at Wolves, is another potential mid-season target. One of the most explosive footballers in the division, the Spanish speedster would certainly aid West Ham’s evolution into a fearsome counter-attacking outfit, even if Traore’s end-product often leaves a lot to be desired.
Head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay followed Potter out the door on Thursday, meanwhile. Nuno and agent Jorge Mendes will play a big role in the recruitment department going forward.
Defoe explains why flexibility is so important at West Ham
Defoe tends to appreciate the tactical flexibility Nuno brings to the table as well.
While his athletic Forest midfield would often snap into tackles and force turnovers, West Ham restricted Arsenal to a rebound and a contentious penalty last time out with Nuno’s team demonstrating a sense of togetherness and discipline seldom seen under Potter.
“You can’t play the same in every game,” adds Defoe, who has been linked with a return to Rangers recently alongside Steven Gerrard.
“Your team can be aggressive but, then, you pick your moments to be aggressive. That is what the big managers get the big bucks for.
“‘I’m going to say to my team, be aggressive, press, press, press. When we do it, make sure it’s aggressive’. Certain teams can do that, if you’ve got the legs. But [if you don’t] we pick our moments. When we don’t press, we are solid.
“We’ll see [if Nuno succeeds at West Ham]. They have good players.”
What Ashley Cole would do if he was the Hammers’ head coach
Ashley Cole, the legendary left-back who won a trio of Premier League titles at Arsenal and Chelsea, was then asked by Defoe how he would look to set up this West Ham outfit if he was in Nuno’s position.
“I would be aggressive. I would get the fans off their seat,” says Cole, who currently works as an assistant for the England Under-21s. “I would show that we’re not afraid of any team. We respect certain teams, of course.
“Like Jermain said, you’re not going to try to win the ball back high up against a Man City because you understand at times they’re going to kill you, right? They will play through you and kill you.”
That is the balance Nuno must strike. A well-balanced, organised defence, plus enough creativity and freedom at the other end.
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