Parker named West Ham head coach on two-and-a-half-year deal

Scott Parker has been appointed head coach of West Ham on a two-and-a-half-year deal. He arrives one day after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked. West Ham currently sit eighth in the Championship. The east London club will be looking to return to the Premier League after last season’s relegation.

Parker played for West Ham between 2007 and 2011, winning Hammer of the Year three consecutive years. He is tasked with securing promotion back to the Premier League.

Promotion pedigree and past setbacks

Parker previously guided Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley to promotion from the Championship at the first attempt. Both his Fulham and Burnley sides were relegated the following season, and he was dismissed by Bournemouth early in their first top‑flight spell.

His first match in charge will be against Cardiff City on Wednesday night. West Ham suffered a 3‑1 home defeat to West Brom on Saturday.

In his player days Parker was voted Hammer of the Year for three successive seasons. “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,” he said on the club website. He added that the warmth, love and relationship with the fanbase were unlike anything he had experienced elsewhere. “More than anything, this is an opportunity I am very excited about, feeling privileged and honoured to lead us back to the Premier League,” he continued.

Scott Parker named West Ham manager

Backroom team and club statements

He said early conversations with interim CEO Karim Virani and joint‑chair Daniel Kretinsky gave him confidence in a shared vision to return the club to the Premier League. “I’ve been in this division three times and I’ve got out of it three times; consistency will be the key,” Parker explained.

Nuno Espirito Santo joined West Ham in the year 2025 but could not avoid the drop. Parker most recently managed Burnley, leaving the club in April after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed.

He replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who was dismissed on Tuesday after a disappointing start to the Championship campaign. Parker has been out of work since departing the Clarets in April following their Premier League relegation.

First‑team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist, while former teammate Mark Noble will work closely with him as sporting director. The club said further announcements on the backroom staff will follow in the coming days and weeks.

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