Scott Parker is the new head coach of West Ham

West Ham United has named former captain, Scott Parker, as their new head coach. This comes just a day after they let go of Nuno Espírito Santo.

The club shared Parker's appointment in a statement on their website on Wednesday. They confirmed that the 46-year-old has signed a contract for two and a half years.

Parker is set to manage the team for Wednesday's EFL Championship match against Cardiff City.

The former West Ham midfielder returns after coaching Fulham, AFC Bournemouth, and Burnley. He successfully led all three clubs from the Championship to the Premier League.

West Ham mentioned that Parker will be supported by first-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and Billy Lepine. Former teammate Mark Noble will also work closely with him. The club stated that they will share more details about Parker's full coaching staff later.

Parker achieved promotion with Fulham in 2020, Bournemouth in 2022, and Burnley in 2025. He also won the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award in 2024/25 with Burnley.

He played 129 matches for West Ham from 2007 to 2011, winning the club’s Hammer of the Year award three times in a row. He also received the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award for the 2010/11 season, becoming just the second West Ham player to win that award after Bobby Moore.

Speaking about his return, Parker called the appointment a proud moment.

“It is a very proud moment for me to step into this role and return to a Club that means so much to me and my family. A lot of very fond memories of my time here, four years of probably the best football I played in my career,” he said.

“There was a warmth, a love, a feeling that I probably didn’t have anywhere else. There was something which stood out constantly and that was the relationship that I built up with the fanbase here. That rapport and respect, that I felt instantly.

“More than anything, this is an opportunity that I am very excited about. I feel privileged and honoured to be the guy that wants to lead us back to the Premier League and be the Head Coach of this Football Club at this moment in time.

“My energy levels, my enthusiasm, my desire, my passion, it’s absolutely running through and that’s the feeling I had as soon as there was a conversation that this was possible. That’s exactly why I’m here and why I want to be here.

“From my first calls with Karim [Virani] and Daniel [Křetínský], it was clear they have a shared vision and desire to return the Club to the Premier League as quickly as possible. I share that ambition and I’m very confident we can achieve it.

“I’ve been in this division three times and I’ve got out of this division three times. This is a tough division, there is absolutely no denying it. And I will use every ounce of my experience, every ounce of my knowledge, to have an understanding of what we’re going to need to bring consistency.

“And that’s going to be the key word for all of us really. The consistency of what we do and the commitment levels that we go to will give us the best opportunity to get out of this division and be the team that we can be,” he added.

West Ham had announced Nuno’s departure on Tuesday. They said the decision came after reviewing the club’s start to the Championship season.

The club also confirmed that assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa are leaving.

Nuno was brought in September 2025 after leaving Nottingham Forest. His time at West Ham ended after the club reviewed its performances.