Nuno Espírito Santo Makes Creating West Ham Philosophy His Top Focus
Nuno Espírito Santo believes it will be a gradual process to establish a clear philosophy at the London club. The former Nottingham Forest manager, who is settling in to his latest role, wants to forge a relationship with the club’s culture on an emotional level.
Learning the Team Identity
Hired after the sudden exit of his predecessor, Nuno mentioned that veteran members have been bringing him up to speed about life at West Ham. When asked about his interpretation of the famous “West Ham way”, he grinned and stated that it means different things—many fans view it as attacking play, while others value fighting spirit.
“This is what I’m aiming to comprehend every day,” he said. “It’s more than learning—the emotion is essential. I need time to feel it. After it’s internalized, it’s vital to embody it fully.”
He stressed that feeling is crucial, not just intellectual understanding. Regarding style and culture, Nuno stated they are a long way off from making it a reality. “Merely talking about the ‘West Ham way’—we have to develop it, let’s live it.”
Initial Phase and Future Challenges
The new manager’s start began with an promising equal result at Everton. When asked about how close he is to developing a recognizable philosophy, he replied, “In my opinion quite distant. It’s a tough task and demands effort from everyone at the club. However, it’s our main focus.”
Frequently, there is a desire from supporters for entertaining style. The former manager, the club’s top manager in recent times, later encountered criticism due to his defensive mindset. Subsequent managers found it tough changing the team’s style in the period after his departure.
Style of Play and Player Roles
The responsibility now lies with Nuno to choose whether points are a higher priority than entertainment. The team have conceded fourteen goals in the opening six Premier League games and find themselves in a low position.
“What influences the team’s approach is not the coach,” he explained. “It’s the squad that decides our style. We must achieve harmony between defense and attack. We cannot going forward without structure, as that creates opportunities for our opponents. We have to defend and organize, while also prioritizing our plan when we recover the ball.”
Team News
The club may see the return of key defenders ahead of the next match against Arsenal. Furthermore, the head coach hinted at a comeback chance for a former regular who was not included in the previous game. He had a brief stint under the manager previously, but his time at the club was concluded prematurely.
