Graham Potter sacked by struggling West Ham after nine months in charge

2 hours ago 1

Graham Potter has been sacked by West Ham five games into the league season and after only nine months in the job.

The former Chelsea and Brighton manager was relieved of his duties just two days out from West Ham’s Premier League match against Everton, who are making headway under the former Hammers manager David Moyes.

It is understood Nuno Espírito Santo has been lined up to replace Potter, once the club has settled some legal hurdles over hiring the manager sacked by Nottingham Forest on 9 September. Kyle Macaulay, West Ham’s head of recruitment and close to Potter, is expected to depart, too.

A statement from the club read: “West Ham United can confirm that head coach Graham Potter has left the club. Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025-26 season have not matched expectations, and the board believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible.

“The club can confirm that assistant coach Bruno Saltor, first team coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach, lead goalkeeper coach Casper Ankergren, and goalkeeper coach Linus Kandolin have also left with immediate effect.

“The Board would like to thank Graham and his coaching staff for their hard work during their time with the Hammers and wish them every success for the future. The process of appointing a replacement is underway. The Club will be making no further comment at this time.”

The move follows last Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace. West Ham lost 3-0 at promoted Sunderland on the opening weekend, then were routed 5-1 at home by Chelsea, despite Lucas Paquetá giving them the lead.

West Ham went out of the Carabao Cup at Wolves, the 3-2 defeat marked by a confrontation between Jarrod Bowen and a Hammers fan. After a 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest, West Ham lost by the same scoreline at home to Spurs. Palace’s 2-1 victory at the London Stadium proved the final straw.

West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady (top centre) watches yet another defeat unfold

Damningly, West Ham have lost their opening three home league games for the second consecutive season, the first time they have done so in 98 seasons in English football.

Potter was appointed in January as successor to Julen Lopetegui. He enjoyed some successes – notably a 1-0 win at Arsenal that badly damaged the Gunners’ title hopes – but the Hammers were 14th when he took over and he could not improve on that position come the season’s end. Two of his five wins last season were against Ipswich and Leicester, who were relegated.

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Potter would have banked on a strong summer to kickstart his reign, but the departure of Mohammed Kudus to rivals Tottenham for £55m heightened fans’ frustration. The unrest of the West Ham supporters’ failed to ease after a flurry of signings during the final weeks of the transfer window coincided with the heavy defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea in August. Fan protests towards the club’s board have been a feature of home games in recent weeks.

Potter acknowledged he was under scrutiny after the defeat by Chelsea, saying: “You are under pressure all the time in these jobs. In this situation, that is how it is. I know the territory, I know what comes with poor results and I accept that responsibility. It was too easy to score against us so I take my responsibility and I have to do better. That is the case with all the players.”

After the Palace match, he said: “Do I believe I can turn it around? Of course. I also understand it’s tough. We’re in a tough situation, there’s no getting away from that. The only thing you can do is front it up, be honest with it. We want to do better than we are and at the moment we’re not.”

The 50-year-old, who made his name at Östersunds in Sweden, Swansea and then Brighton, had been out of management for more than a year and a half when he was appointed by West Ham. He had been sacked in April 2023 by Chelsea after less than a year in charge, with the club 11th in the Premier League.