By Conor Hogan

Amid West Ham’s barren run of form, rumours have begun to circulate regarding the future of Hammers boss Nuno Espírito Santo.

The Irons are winless in seven and currently sit 18th in the Premier League. While performances have undoubtedly improved under Nuno, the 51-year-old has collected just two wins in 13 games since replacing Graham Potter in September. That record, combined with West Ham’s league position, has understandably raised concerns among supporters about whether he can steer the club to safety by the end of the season.

Unsurprisingly, some online outlets and sections of the fanbase have already begun speculating about potential replacements should David Sullivan decide to pull the trigger before May.

Quite frankly, Nuno should be allowed to see out the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign at the very least. He inherited an extremely unbalanced and paper-thin squad, and while the points return has been underwhelming, West Ham are playing far better football than they were under Potter.

One name recently linked with a return to London Stadium is Slaven Bilić. The Croatian managed West Ham between 2015 and 2017 and was most recently in charge of Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia. Thankfully, a reunion appears unlikely. While Bilić’s early tenure was memorable, his side quickly declined following Dimitri Payet’s departure in January 2017, and the football that followed was largely underwhelming.

Another suggestion gaining traction online is Mark Noble. The former captain and current Sporting Director is a beloved figure at the club, and some fans believe he could restore a sense of identity and grit to this struggling side. However, appointing Noble — a man with no managerial experience — would be a disastrous decision. In truth, it would likely be even worse than re-hiring Bilić. Noble has done commendable work within the academy structure, but asking him to lead a Premier League side through a relegation battle would be completely unfair and unrealistic.

Fans understandably crave “West Ham DNA” in the dugout, but it’s worth noting that Nuno’s backroom staff already includes Steve Potts and Mark Robson — two men who combined made over 450 appearances for the club and possess far greater coaching experience than Noble.

Despite some questionable decisions, Nuno deserves trust. Recent results have been deeply frustrating, but prior to the defeat against Aston Villa on December 14, West Ham had lost just one of their previous six matches, picking up nine points in the process.

Crucially, Nuno also has the January transfer window ahead of him — a rare opportunity to address the lack of depth and balance in a squad he did not build.

Things look bleak right now. There’s no denying that. But West Ham have a capable manager in charge, one who has already improved performances and restored some pride in the shirt.

Despite everything, I haven’t lost hope in Nuno Espírito Santo — and neither should the club.