Potter sacked as West Ham owners under renewed fire after eight months

West Ham United sacked manager Graham Potter on Saturday after an eight-month tenure in which he won six of 25 matches across all competitions.

Speculation about Potter's future had been rife for weeks, with reports linking Nuno Espirito Santo and former boss Slaven Bilic with the job. Nuno Espirito Santo is now set to take over at the London Stadium, the club announced, as the English side moves to confirm a fresh direction following Potter’s dismissal. Potter's departure follows a pattern at West Ham in recent years, with predecessors such as Julen Lopetegui also dismissed after roughly eight months in charge.

Tony Cottee, the club legend who starred for West Ham in two spells and later became a Sky Sports pundit, reacted on X by condemning the ownership. "As usual, the fiasco at West Ham is handled with a total lack of class," he wrote. "What a shambles. The players will be delighted to have their fourth manager in 16 months!" Cottee added, quoting a line from his previous public criticisms, "As I've said before, nothing will ever change until this dreadful ownership has left the club!"

Supporters have raised fresh concerns about the club’s ownership in recent weeks. Thousands of fans gathered to protest before a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace, displaying banners accusing chairman David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady of "selling our soul." In response, West Ham issued a statement saying they would listen to fan feedback and accepting that results and performances over the past two seasons had not met the club’s standards. The club’s message read, "Nobody at the club is satisfied with that."

Cottee later reiterated his view that the Hammers’ fortunes would not improve until the ownership situation changed, while critics argued that a long-term plan hinged on a change at the top. "Our focus is firmly on the future and building a team that can once again compete consistently in domestic competitions and in Europe. Ultimately, though, as is the case at every football stadium in the country, we accept that regular winning performances are the best way to improve the atmosphere." In one social-media exchange after Cottee’s post, a fan asked, "Did you expect anything else from Sullivan?" The reply reflected a split of opinion among supporters: "Although Nuno will get my backing and is the right man for the job, we need a CEO to run the club and for Sullivan to keep his nose out and just be an owner."