‘This is how many games Nuno Espirito Santo has to save his job’ – Ex-West Ham employee
Nuno Espirito Santo will be sacked by West Ham if he cannot put a run of wins together as they remain stranded in the relegation zone.
Former West Ham scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that the manager will now be given “three or four” games to turn things around.
West Ham beat QPR 2-1 after extra time at the London Stadium, but while an FA Cup run would provide respite from their dismal league campaign, it will not ease the pressure.
Football Insider revealed on 10 January that West Ham are not planning to sack Nuno as things stand after an improved performance against Nottingham Forest.
Nuno’s side will face Tottenham in their next league clash, with Thomas Frank also fighting for his job, and a win would go a long way for the West Ham boss.
Nuno Espirito Santo has four games to save his job
Football Insider revealed on 9 January that Nuno will be given time to save his job, with games against Tottenham, Sunderland, Chelsea and Burnley likely to be key.
With the Hammers currently stranded seven points from safety following their defeat to Nottingham Forest, there are growing concerns that they will struggle to come back.
“The pressure on Nuno is not going to go away,” Brown told Football Insider.
“They might’ve hoped for a better performance against QPR, but the fact is they’re through to the next round, it doesn’t matter how they played or who they played.
“A good run in the FA Cup always brings a bit of respite from any issues they might have, but their league form has not been good enough and they’re in a precarious position.
“That seven-point gap between West Ham and Nottingham Forest will be very hard to overcome.
“They’re not winning games, they’re struggling to hold on to leads and throwing games away.
“West Ham have been keen to stick with the manager because he’s the one they hoped would get them out of this mess, but that’s not happening.
“Unless Nuno can get results in his next three or four games, I don’t see how he keeps his job because the fingers will be pointed at him.”
West Ham warned against growing agent influence
The ongoing issues at West Ham have not just been obvious on the pitch, but behind the scenes as well, with new concerns growing about agents’ influence.
Brown previously warned Football Insider that West Ham’s owners are easily influenced by agents, explaining their poor track record in the transfer market.
This comes amid question marks surrounding the Hammers’ early January business, having forked out £22million to sign Pablo Felipe, represented by Gestifute, from Gil Vicente.
The concern there comes as the striker joined the Portuguese outfit for £220,000 just six months ago, representing a near 10,000 per cent profit on their investment.
Jorge Mendes was previously influential at Wolves during their successful rise into the Premier League, but his impact has been questioned given their recent collapse.
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