Cole slams confused West Ham for Potter sack timing; Merson feels Nuno is wrong choice – Football365

September 27, 2025
7:18 pm

Joe Cole and Paul Merson have both hit out at West Ham for the timing of their sacking of Graham Potter, while the latter feels expected replacement Nuno Espirito Santo is the wrong man for the Hammers.

West Ham sacked Potter on Saturday morning, after a poor spell at the club. He won just six of his 25 games in charge, and in the 2025/26 season, had the Hammers 19th in the Premier League.

Reports suggest former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno will be in place by Monday, for West Ham’s trip to Everton.

Former Hammer Joe Cole has hit out at the club for the timing of the decision.

On TNT Sports he said: “The timing is unusual two days before a game but the writing was on the wall for Graham. To lose three London derbies the way they did wasn’t good enough. I don’t think he was given enough backing, in this transfer window in particular.

“They should have gone, ‘If you’re our guy, there you go, what’s your plan?’ But I think they dithered, thought ‘Is he or isn’t he [the guy]?’

“Ultimately it was going in the wrong direction so I understand why the club did it.

“The real shame for Graham is he came in at a difficult time for the club. I would imagine the conversations were ‘We’re going to restructure, change the style of play, bring in players you want to bring in’ but that never happened.’

“I wish him the best in the future and hopefully things can turn around for West Ham as well. If I was in charge of West Ham, I’d rip up the whole club, invest in the academy, and get the right type of player in for the manager.”

Sky Sports pundit Merson agrees that the timing was off, but he feels the hire of Nuno will not help things.

“I know they play on Monday, it’s like getting sacked on Thursday, really, but it’s still, I still don’t get why it couldn’t have been at the start of the week.

“Don’t get the [Nuno] one. I like [Nuno], I think he’s done an amazing job at Forest, but if you see the way he played at Forest, I can’t see how he can do that at West Ham.

“You know, West Ham’s defenders have been been at fault for so many goals this season where the defenders at Forest were outstanding. They had [Elliot] Anderson in midfield, who could win the ball back.

“They got no legs in midfield, West Ham, and [Forest had] forwards who play on the counter attack with sheer pace, with [Callum] Hudson-Odoi and [Anthony] Elanga and [Chris] Wood had the season of his career.

“I just don’t see how it fits for me. I don’t think this is the fit. I don’t know if it’s one of them. ‘I want to get back into football quickly,’ and in the Premier League, but I just don’t see this as a good suit for Nuno.”