West Ham Appoint Former Captain Scott Parker as New Head Coach

By Trending9ja Staff • November 4, 2026 • 1 min read

West Ham United have appointed their former team captain, Scott Parker, as the club's new head coach. According to Punch, the 46-year-old manager signed a contract spanning two and a half years to lead the squad, coming just one day after Nuno Espírito Santo was relieved of his duties.

The announcement was made public through an official update on the club's website on Wednesday. Parker was slated to take immediate charge of the side for their Wednesday evening EFL Championship encounter against Cardiff City.

The newly named head coach brings a strong track record of securing top-flight promotion. He previously led Fulham, AFC Bournemouth, and Burnley out of the Championship into the Premier League, achieving the feat in 2020, 2022, and 2025 respectively. His achievements at Burnley also earned him the Championship Manager of the Season honour for the 2024/25 campaign.

During his playing career, Parker featured in 129 matches for West Ham between 2007 and 2011. He was named the side's Hammer of the Year for three straight seasons and won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award for the 2010/11 campaign, becoming only the second player from the club after Bobby Moore to claim the honour.

Reacting to his appointment, Parker described returning to the team as a proud moment, pointing to his warm connection with the supporters. He stated that discussions with Karim Virani and Daniel Křetínský confirmed a shared objective of guiding the club back to the Premier League as quickly as possible.

The club added that Parker will be assisted by first-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and Billy Lepine. Former team-mate Mark Noble is also set to work alongside the new coaching setup, with more details on the permanent backroom structure expected in due course.

Sources: Punch