Graham Potter is gone! West Ham confirm manager's sacking amid woeful start to Premier League season

West Ham issued a statement confirming the Englishman's departure on Saturday morning: "West Ham United can confirm that Head Coach Graham Potter has left the Club.

"Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025/26 season have not matched expectations, and the Board of Directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team’s position in the Premier League as soon as possible.

"The Club can confirm that Assistant Coach Bruno Saltor, First Team Coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach, Lead Goalkeeper Coach Casper Ankergren, and Goalkeeper Coach Linus Kandolin have also left with immediate effect. 

"The Board would like to thank Graham and his coaching staff for their hard work during their time with the Hammers and wish them every success for the future.

"The process of appointing a replacement is underway. The Club will be making no further comment at this time."

Potter was appointed manager of the east London club in January of this year, as the club struggled under the leadership of Julen Loptegui. However, the Englishman, who has previously managed at Brighton and Chelsea, failed to turn things around, winning just six and losing 14 of his 25 games at the helm. The Hammers are currently 19th in the Premier League, having won just one of their five games this season. They were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by fellow strugglers Wolves. 

It's fitting that the Hammers' first game after the sacking of Potter comes against their former manager David Moyes. In his second spell with the club between 2019 and 2024, the Scotsman steered West Ham away from the relegation zone, twice qualifying for European competition and ultimately winning the Conference League in 2023, the club's first silverware in more than 50 years. With no announcement on an interim replacement at this moment in time and all of Potter's staff relieved of their duty, it is unclear who will lead the London team for a tricky fixture under the lights at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. 

The strange timing of the announcement would suggest a possible replacement has been lined up to take over the role imminently. GiveMeSport reports former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has already agreed personal terms with the club. 

Potter's reputation has taken a hammering in recent years. Once touted as a possible manager of England's national team, back-to-back failures at Chelsea and now West Ham may well see his stock plummet. His pedigree, built over successful spells at Swansea and Brighton as well as Ostersunds in Norway, established the young manager as a tactician that could set his team up to play attractive football. The on-pitch product at West Ham has fallen well short of the fans' expectations. The club's fans value attacking football just as much as results on the pitch, something which saw Moyes hounded out of the club. With relegation a stark possibility, it may well be time for a more pragmatic approach.