West Ham Board Losing Patience with Nuno Over Post-Match Conduct Following Forest Setback

The mood at the London Stadium has turned decidedly toxic following West Ham's 2-1 home loss to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening, with the club's board reportedly questioning their manager's conduct in the aftermath of the defeat.

Nuno Espirito Santo now sits atop the betting odds for the next Premier League manager to lose his job. The Hammers' latest stumble leaves them languishing 18th in the table, seven points adrift of safety with 21 games played, and has intensified scrutiny on the Portuguese coach's position.

The defeat proved particularly galling given its significance. With relegation concerns mounting and supporters increasingly resigned to a fight for survival, West Ham's clash against Sean Dyche's men carried obvious must-win credentials. The loss has only darkened an already grim outlook.

According to reports, club insiders took issue with Nuno's demeanour on the pitch following the final whistle. The manager, who previously managed Forest and presided over a successful 2024/25 campaign at the City Ground, appeared visibly pleased to reconnect with his former players. However, sources suggest the board felt such displays should have remained behind closed doors rather than playing out before the cameras.

The decision to embrace Forest players publicly has reportedly rankled West Ham's hierarchy, who believe Nuno should have exercised greater tactical awareness given the circumstances. With the squad and staff already struggling with morale, the optics of a manager seemingly upbeat whilst his team capitulates has done little to restore confidence.

West Ham's statistical struggles this season paint a bleak picture. The club has squandered 15 points from winning positions—third worst in the division—and manages just one victory from seven matches when scoring first. Their defensive frailties have been compounded by creative shortcomings, ranking 19th for big chances created with just 18 to their name. The second half performance has been particularly alarming, yielding just 19 points from 19 games.

Nuno's record since arriving in September to replace Graham Potter reads as deeply concerning: two wins from 16 matches. A ten-game winless streak has left the board questioning both his tactical approach and his man-management capabilities. The wider atmosphere at the training ground has deteriorated noticeably.

Some quarters at West Ham felt the manager should have been removed following last weekend's humbling 3-0 defeat at Wolves. However, David Sullivan, the club's principal shareholder, appears reluctant to pull the trigger despite his evident frustration. A third managerial change within 12 months would saddle the club with significant financial commitments, a prospect that has given Nuno temporary reprieve.

Yet the board has paradoxically backed the manager in the transfer market this January. West Ham have committed £47million to acquiring strikers Taty Castellanos from Lazio and Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente. Both moves came as Niklas Fullkrug departed on loan to AC Milan and Callum Wilson entered discussions over a mutual departure.

The immediate test arrives with an FA Cup fixture against Queens Park Rangers, though the fixture carrying genuine weight in determining Nuno's future will be the Premier League visit of Tottenham Hotspur. Another defeat could render his position untenable.

Should Nuno's tenure end, Slaven Bilic has emerged as the early favourite to take over. The former West Ham manager has been without a club since departing Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Fateh in August 2024.