SOCCER
West Ham Appoint Scott Parker as Head Coach
The former West Ham midfielder returns on a two-and-a-half-year contract after Nuno Espírito Santo’s dismissal.
West Ham United appointed Scott Parker as head coach on Wednesday, bringing their former midfielder back on a two-and-a-half-year contract after Nuno Espírito Santo’s dismissal.
Parker, 46, takes over a Championship club seeking an immediate return to the Premier League. West Ham were eighth when the appointment was announced, six points behind leader Middlesbrough, following consecutive home defeats to Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.
The BBC reported the confirmed appointment on November 4. Parker had been out of work since leaving Burnley in April after its relegation. He previously guided Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley to promotion from the Championship.
His return also reunites him with former teammate Mark Noble, West Ham’s sporting director. First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist Parker, with further backroom appointments to be announced.
Parker made 129 appearances for West Ham during four years as a player and won the club’s player of the year award three times. He now succeeds Nuno, whose departure was announced Tuesday, as the club tries to recover from its uneven start in the second tier.
