Crisis, Clarity, and Culture: Nuno’s First Task at West Ham
When West Ham United sacked Graham Potter after just five Premier League matches of the 2025‑26 season and brought in Nuno Espírito Santo on a three‑year deal, the move was meant to arrest a slide, reset a culture, and provide stability. But early signs show the Portuguese coach inherits more than just a struggling team; he inherits a leadership vacuum—one that has taken root across club, squad, and supporter base. If Nuno is to succeed, his first job must be fixing that.
The Leadership Deficit
Several issues reflect how leadership has been lacking or misdirected at West Ham in recent months:
- Inconsistent Managerial Identity
The club has now gone through four managers in roughly 18 months: David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui, Graham Potter, and now Nuno. Each manager has brought a different style, and the players (and fans) have had to adjust each time. That makes it hard to form a stable identity or a coherent playing philosophy. (taipeitimes.com) - Boardroom Uncertainty and Mixed Signals
Commentary and reports suggest decisions have often been reactive or ad hoc. Transfer policy friction, tactical doubts, and a lack of clarity in long‑term vision has caused unrest. There is little evidence that the club has a coherent blueprint for what style or standard West Ham should aim for. Without that, leadership in the boardroom and on the touchline risks being at odds. (taipeitimes.com) - Squad Issues: Defensive Lapses, Unclear Leadership within the Team
On the pitch, the defensive frailties—particularly vulnerability at set pieces—stand out as symptoms of unclear organisation, lack of accountability, and possibly low confidence. It’s hard to rally a team effectively if players don’t believe their defensive responsibilities are defined, nor trust that errors will be addressed fairly. (hammersheadlines.com) - Disconnect with the Supporters
Nuno has already said that bridging the gap between players, board, and fans is “main priority”. There is clear friction: chants of “sack” have greeted performances even before he was fully installed; supporters are frustrated not only with results, but with what they view as a pattern of instability. (Sports Mole)
What Nuno Must Do First
To address this leadership crisis from Day One, Nuno’s focus likely needs to be on:
- Restoring clarity and consistency: Define a playing philosophy and stick to it—at least enough so that players have a stable foundation. That means communicating clearly what’s expected defensively, what style of attack, and who will lead different areas (e.g., defence, midfield, set‑pieces).
- Setting standards for accountability: Everyone must understand roles and responsibilities. Errors, especially repeat ones (like conceding from set pieces), need to be addressed, but also in a way that maintains confidence. Leaders in the squad (senior players) must be empowered to enforce standards on the pitch.
- Building trust with supporters: Show that decisions are being made with purpose—not simply knee‑jerk reactions. Transparency in messaging, admitting what’s going wrong, and showing a roadmap for improvement will help reduce cynicism.
- Strengthening structure behind the scenes: At board level, sporting director level, backroom staff. Nuno’s missing backroom staff (not yet in place shortly after his appointment) shows that infrastructure is still unsettled. Fixing that will allow coherent support for his plan. (The Guardian)
The Big Challenge: Culture Reset
Perhaps the hardest work will be resetting the culture: from being reactive to being proactive; from uncertainty to confidence; from switching styles every few months to having continuity. Nuno must shape a culture where:
- Defensive solidity is non-negotiable
- Communication is honest and two‑way
- Mental resilience is built (so small setbacks don’t cascade)
- There’s pride in wearing the shirt, which comes from visible leadership inside and outside the dressing room.
Final Thought
Nuno arrives with pedigree and experience in turning struggling teams around. But even the best strategies, formations, and transfers won’t succeed unless the foundations of leadership are repaired. The board must back him, the players must buy in, and fans must get signs of progress—not just promises. If he can get leadership sorted, then the parts of the club (tactics, fitness, recruitment) can follow. Without it, even good ideas may fall apart.
If you like, I can pull together a comparative case: how other managers have fixed similar leadership voids at clubs, and what lessons Nuno might learn.
