West Ham appoint Scott Parker as head coach on two-and-a-half-year deal

West Ham United have appointed former midfielder Scott Parker as head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract, tasking him with leading the club’s bid to return to the Premier League after a poor start to life in the Championship.

Parker replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked on Tuesday. West Ham are eighth, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough, after winning two of their past six league matches and losing consecutive home games to Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.

Parker will take charge for the first time on Wednesday, when West Ham visit Cardiff City. He has won promotion from the Championship with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley, but was unable to keep any of those sides in the Premier League. He has been out of work since leaving Burnley in April after their relegation.

“I feel privileged and honoured to be the guy that wants to lead us back to the Premier League,” Parker said. He also cited his connection with West Ham, where he made 129 appearances as a player between 2007 and 2011.

West Ham sporting director Mark Noble will work closely with Parker. First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist him, with the club saying it will announce further backroom appointments in the coming weeks.

Parker is West Ham’s fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left in May 2024. The club were among the favourites for promotion before the season began. Their squad includes England winger Jarrod Bowen and midfielder Tomas Soucek, while summer signings included Arne Engels, whom West Ham paid Celtic a reported club-record £22m for.

The appointment follows the club’s dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo after a sluggish start to the campaign. Interim chief executive Karim Virani said Parker was the board’s unanimous choice, citing his Championship record and knowledge of the club.