West Ham have given in to a demand from a reportedly sulking Nuno Espirito Santo by appointing a new assistant, despite a brutal Pep Guardiola jibe.
The move will raise eyebrows – and hope – among Hammers supporters, coming at a time when questions persist over Nuno Espirito Santo’s immediate future as pressure continues to mount on and off the pitch.
This time last week a host of journalists and outlets were claiming Nuno could be the third manager sacked by West Ham inside 12 months.
That in itself tells the story of just how bad things have been at the London Stadium in that time.
So bad in fact West Ham are being widely regarded as relegation certainties having been cut seven points adrift in the bottom three with 17 games to go.
Next up is another of Nuno’s former clubs – and West Ham’s bitter rivals – Spurs.
Crunch time for Nuno and West Ham
If things turn out as they did when West Ham faced Nuno’s other ex Premier League clubs, Wolves and Forest, then the Hammers will likely need a miracle to stay up.
There are few miracle workers left in football nowadays.
How many more signings do we need to make for you to feel confident about staying up?! 🤔
Still an awful lot of work to do…
Even the great Pep Guardiola has his detractors – especially in light of the money his clubs have been able to spend on players.
But the Man City boss is generally considered the creme de la creme of modern managers.
Nuno has been sulking from the start at West Ham over a major issue that has been unresolved – until now.
According to The Daily Mail journalist Tom Collomosse, Nuno’s West Ham spell was ‘doomed from day one’ due to David Sullivan and the board failing to bring in his desired backroom team.
One of Nuno’s big demands when accepting the West Ham job was that the Hammers would bring in his backroom team that he worked with at previous clubs.
Nuno was able to bring in one of his long-time coaching assistants in Rui Barbosa, who he worked with at Rio Ave, Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, Al-Ittihad and Forest.
But the rest were Academy coaches being promoted to the first team setup – to much surprise when the announcement was made.
One man who offered his services should Nuno be replaced was former Hammers boss Harry Redknapp.
Although Sullivan admitted he ‘loves Harry’, West Ham’s board said a Redknapp return is a non-starter.
Hammers appoint new assistant despite Pep Guardiola jibe
And the man himself made a brutal claim that not even Guardiola could keep West Ham up this season.
“Nuno is coming under fierce criticism, but the players are what they are, what more can he do with that group?” Redknapp told talkSPORT.
Would you take relegation if it meant that David Sullivan would leave?! 🤔
Not a nice position to be in – but what would YOU choose if you had to?
“Potter couldn’t get a tune out of them, you could get Pep in with that team and he wouldn’t shoot them up the league, the players are short of quality, they’re not good enough.
“They’re where they are in the league because that’s how good the players are.”
Despite Redknapp telling Sullivan not even Guardiola could keep the Hammers in the Premier League, West Ham have now given in and appointed another new member of Nuno’s coaching staff.
That suggests the Portuguese is being backed to finish the season with West Ham regardless of what happens.
While some West Ham fans loved seeing Academy coaches earn promotions to the first team, many have questioned whether more top level expertise and coaching experience was required given the grave situation the team now finds itself in this season.
According to journalist Collomosse, West Ham’s failure to bring in Nuno’s backroom team means his reign was doomed from the start, leaving him ‘defenceless and appearing aloof and hostile to players and staff’.
West Ham to unveil Paco Jemez as new coach
It is pointed out that Nuno’s success has always come when he has been able to lean on a group of key advisers he trusts completely – namely right-hand man Rui Pedro Silva, sports psychologist Julio Figueroa and Joao Lapa, a fitness coach who has also been an agent.
Now prominent Hammers insider ExWHUemployee has revealed on his West Ham Way Patreon that Guardiola’s fellow Spaniard Paco Jemez is set to be appointed as Nuno’s new assistant imminently.
Jemez is an experienced manager having taken charge of 12 teams on 13 separate occasions, most recently UD Ibiza – who sacked the 55-year-old earlier this season back in October.
Ex states Jemez has been at Rush Green ready to take up his new role.
If Redknapp doesn’t think Guardiola could keep West Ham up then Jemez has a tough task on his hands.
Although Guardiola’s fellow Spaniard bears more than a passing resemblance to him.
Nuno and the club’s board and fans will just be hoping Jemez can bring a spark to light a fire under the final 17 games.
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