Some of the decisions made by West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo have been so bizarre that some Hammers fans have started to wonder — is he trying to get himself sacked?
The theory goes that Nuno walked into Rush Green, took one look at the squad, and realised he couldn’t work miracles. But rather than walking away, some believe he’s deliberately sabotaging his own team to force a lucrative payout.
There’s no denying Espirito Santo has picked some peculiar line-ups in recent matches, featuring inverted wing-backs, a dysfunctional midfield, and more players out of position than in it.
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The Truth Behind the Rumours
However, when Claret & Hugh spoke to a well-placed insider with strong knowledge of West Ham’s inner workings, the speculation was quickly shut down.
“No, of course he’s not trying to lose games,” our source insisted.
They went on: “Nuno has a group of players with no pace, and there’s no striker. The recruitment has been diabolical for years. He’s just struggling with a poor squad that doesn’t suit his style. He was probably the wrong appointment — again! Anyway, if he’s sacked this season, he won’t get a payoff. The compensation only begins from next season.”
That revelation means West Ham could dismiss their manager without paying compensation — a detail that’s both surprising and, frankly, staggering.
So, rather than any grand conspiracy that Nuno is sabotaging his own team, the reality appears to be that he’s simply trying to make sense of an unbalanced, slow, and ill-fitting squad. . . and doing a poor job.
While the news doesn’t reflect particularly well on the head coach, it stands as yet another damning indictment of how West Ham has been run.