Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former West Ham , Aston Villa and Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass has given his thoughts on the turmoil at the London Stadium following the sacking of Nuno Espírito Santo .
Snodgrass has explained why the timing of Nuno 's dismissal was probably right, why Scott Parker would be a good fit, and why a top-two finish is a given for whoever takes the West Ham hot seat.
The former winger has also discussed a possible Jadon Sancho move, the leadership test now facing captain Jarrod Bowen , and whether Bowen might one day lean into the showbiz side of things.
The Sacking
West Ham Were Top After Seven Games but Now Sit Eighth; What Has Gone Wrong?
Nuno being sacked just goes to show how quickly football can change. One minute you're sitting top of the league, and then a few defeats come along, and that's that. When you don't win your home games, especially with that sort of passionate crowd behind you that wants to see exciting football, it's tough. In the Championship , you're one of the favourites, and then you drop down, which they probably didn't see coming.
When you drop out of that top two or three, especially coming off the back of last season, I feel you had to stay in that top two to make the fans believe you were the man to take them back up. The wounds were there, and he's just fallen short and found himself sacked. It's never nice seeing people lose their jobs, but when you look at it, I think the timing's probably right for West Ham to make that decision.
Does Nuno's Dismissal Feel Harsh?
From Nuno 's perspective, he's been at a lot of big clubs and has a big name in management. I'm sure he will find a new home and get another job, whether that's quickly or not; I don't know. But looking at it, sympathy-wise, football is a business, really.
As I said, it's never nice for people to lose their job, and he comes across as a really nice man. But I can see why they've done it at this time. They're probably conscious of dropping out of that top eight if things fester, which is why the club made the decision.
Parker's Brief
Is Scott Parker a No-Brainer to Get the Club Promoted?
Scott Parker obviously has an affiliation with the club and is good friends with Mark Noble and others there. They'll know him well, how he works, and how he carries himself. Even for Premier League jobs, his name always seems to get touted around.
So if that is the case, I think it would be a good fit for West Ham , to be honest. For them to make a decision like this, I'd be very surprised if they didn't have a top-two or top-three shortlist to get their man. So time will tell; let's wait and see who comes into the hot seat. But if Parker comes in, it's an amazing club and one that needs to go on a run to get back to where they want to be.
Is the Minimum Target a Top-Two Finish?
West Ham need to be in the top two. That's a given. They don't want to be in the Championship for too long. Going through the play-off final would be great for the experience with the staff and players, but they want to try and go up automatically.
How Exciting Would a Jadon Sancho Move Be?
A lot of that might have depended on the manager's decision on whether to bring Jadon Sancho in. Now that's changed, will the plan change? We don't know. But with someone of his quality in the Championship , I love players who, when confident, look to face defenders up and take people on.
Jadon is a confidence player; you can see that from his career over the last three or four years. You need to put an arm around him, make him believe he's one of the best players in the team, and give him that confidence to thrive. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.
Bowen's Test
Has Jarrod Bowen Done the Right Thing Rolling Up His Sleeves?
This is where a captain and leader needs to come into his own. My fear for Jarrod is that he's quite quiet in a way; he's always led by his performances. This is where you need an experienced figure when things aren't going well, and there's uncertainty.
You need a group that can put out the fires and get everyone in the middle lane, not too high, not too low, and push forward. Having Jarrod is great because his numbers speak for themselves, but wearing the armband and getting the troops together to ensure they're heading in the right direction will test him now.
Does Bowen's Connection With the Dyer Family Help Keep Him at West Ham?
That's probably everyone's obvious thinking, that because he's settled, he doesn't need to move. Jarrod has spoken about that before and felt it made the decision a bit easier. I don't know for sure, but once you're in the building, you realise how much it means to everyone.
From a family perspective, they love the club and care about it. That's why it's a big moment for Jarrod ; he needs to rally the troops and make sure everybody is focused, because he'll be getting questions about who's coming in and what happened. He's such a quiet lad, so I don't know how he'll deal with all of that.
Could Bowen Lean Into Showbiz When His Career Ends?
Maybe get him on as a contestant, dancing with his wife and everything, who knows? What has surprised me over the years is seeing footballers I've played with go into coaching or punditry when I'd never have pictured them in those fields. Once you leave the game and opportunities come up, who knows? We might see him twisting and moving on the dancefloor when he retires.
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