Not Carrick: shock sacking of a famous manager in England
Who will be the replacement?
Football club West Ham United have sacked manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The Portuguese pays for a dismal start to their bid for an immediate return to the Premier League, following relegation to the Championship.
According to British newspaper The Athletic, West Ham's hierarchy have already begun weighing up candidates to succeed him, with former midfielder Scott Parker among the frontrunners for the job.
Nuno couldn't keep West Ham up last season, and the board want to bounce straight back without lingering in the second tier.
Back-to-back home defeats to Southampton and West Bromwich Albion left West Ham eighth after 13 rounds, the last of the play-off places. The board deemed those results unacceptable.
Parker leads the race to replace Nuno, according to informed sources. He has been out of work since leaving Burnley last April, and he knows how to win promotion, having done it with both Burnley and Fulham.
His appointment should go down well with the West Ham faithful. Parker spent four years in claret and blue as a player.
Rob Edwards is another option on the table. He was sacked by Wolverhampton after their relegation from the Premier League.
Edwards had walked away from Middlesbrough last November with the club sitting second in the Championship, and he has promotion pedigree of his own after taking Luton Town up to the top flight.
West Ham host Cardiff City on Wednesday evening, with Mark Noble, Steve Potts and Gerard Prenderville overseeing the team's preparations.
West Ham said, in an official statement: "West Ham United confirm the departure of first-team men's manager Nuno Espirito Santo from his position with immediate effect."
It added: "Following a thorough review of the team's start in the English Championship, the board believes that making a change to the coaching staff has become necessary at the current time, to ensure the club continues to progress in line with its objectives and aspirations."
It continued: "Assistant coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa have also left the club."
It concluded: "West Ham United extend their thanks to Nuno, Rui and Rui for the effort and commitment they showed during their time with the club, wishing them all the best in their future careers. The search for a new manager for the team has already begun."
