Former vice-chair Karren Brady is convinced that West Ham United will be a Premier League club again in 2027/28 – especially now that Nuno Espirito Santo is staying on at the London Stadium.
It was confirmed in an official statement on Wednesday that the Hammers are backing Nuno to bounce back from last Sunday’s relegation.
West Ham held an interest in ex-Burnley coach Scott Parker – he of three-time Championship promotion fame – before majority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky emerged victorious in a power battle with David Sullivan.
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Like Karren Brady before him, Kretinsky is a big believer in Nuno Espirito Santo.
Seven months prior to the shock announcement of her departure, Brady convinced Sullivan to give Nuno the job despite the latter pining for Slaven Bilic’s return. Now watching with a keen eye from afar, Sullivan’s long-time aide believes it is only a matter of time before the Portuguese is patrolling a Premier League touchline again.
Karren Brady says Nuno Espirito Santo will return West Ham United to the Premier League
“It was a painful weekend for everybody connected with West Ham United,” Brady writes in her Sun column. “Relegation hurts. There is no getting away from that and, honestly, there should not be.
“What matters now is how the club responds. And personally I believe there are reasons for supporters to look forward with some optimism, particularly with Nuno Espirito Santo remaining in charge.”
West Ham were at pains to point out, in the statement confirming he would remain, that Nuno accumulated the seventh-highest points tally in the whole of the Premier League from matchday 21 to matchday 38.
Nuno won the Championship title with Wolves in 2018, as well.
Nuno will bring ‘calmness’ to the London Stadium after relegation
Above all, Brady believes his level-headed demeanour will be the key factor in securing an immediate return to the top-flight.
“When he came in, the situation was already difficult,” she adds. “Confidence was low, pressure was everywhere and every game carried enormous weight.
“Yet, almost immediately, there was greater organisation, greater discipline and, just as importantly, greater belief. You could see players fighting again. You could see a manager taking responsibility.
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“I also think Nuno’s calmness will become important over the next year.
“Relegation can easily lead to panic; panic in recruitment, panic among supporters desperate for instant answers. But the Championship punishes chaos. It rewards stability, leadership and clear direction.
“Nuno has shown before that he knows exactly how to build that. At Wolves, he created more than just a promotion-winning side. He created a culture and a momentum that carried the club forward for years afterwards.
“Players improved under him. Fans believed in what they were seeing. There was a feeling of purpose about the whole football club.
“West Ham need that feeling again now because while this season has been painful, there is still a strong core at the club to build around.”
How much of that talented ‘core’ remains, though, is another matter entirely.
Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville will definitely go, Axel Disasi and Callum Wilson announced their departures this week, while uncertainty surrounds Dinos Mavropanos, Tomas Soucek, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Taty Castellanos and even captain Jarrod Bowen.
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