West Ham’s Managerial Dilemma: Nuno, O’Neil, or a Bilic Reunion

West Ham’s Managerial Dilemma: Nuno, O’Neil, or a Bilic Reunion

East End boys love a gamble, and so do their owners. It was a gamble to keep Declan Rice around for an extra year, in the hope that he would not only win the club a European trophy but also increase his own market value. That paid off. It was a gamble to run David Moyes’ contract down, allowing the Scotsman to leave after four and a half seasons, thrusting West Ham United into the unknown. Did that pay off? It was a gamble to switch managers mid-season this year, and ultimately, nothing has changed.

The next critical conclusion that David Sullivan and Co. must come to is whether to axe Graham Potter nine months into his spell in East London. Five games into the Prem this season, and the Irons sit in 19th with a defence that looks like it would concede four over at Barnet. Fans are protesting, boycotting, and expressing their discontent, and all of a sudden, it feels like we are back in the Manuel Pellegrini era.

This series, however, could be seeing its third main character already, and we’re only one season in.

After 25 games in charge Graham Potter has the worst record in West Ham History! Even Lopetegui had more points in LESS games! pic.twitter.com/ISDFOfKwqW

— WestHamStatto (@WestHamStatto) September 20, 2025

Nuno a spirit of hope Santo

West Ham’s refusal to ‘buy’ a manager will either come across as hilariously cheap or financially savvy. Regardless, the next heir to the throne at the London Stadium will be from the free agent market. Nuno Espirito Santo seems the straightforward choice. Recently out of a successful Premier League job, where he took Nottingham Forest from relegation to Champions League contenders. It makes perfect sense!

The downside to Nuno’s appointment would be the sudden shift in playstyles. We’ve already seen Forest struggle under a new and different coach, which does not spell out well for the Hammers, who were already struggling. Potter’s possession-based game would be replaced by Nuno’s counter-attacking style. Whilst both are similarly fluid and adaptive, it would still require a rapid restructure in the squad. But managers have been chopped and changed partway through a season for decades; this is no new revelation, so who's to say this move won’t revolutionise West Ham’s defence? After all, Moyes was introduced (for a second time) halfway through the 2019/20 season, and his playstyle is hardly comparable to Pellegrini’s.

Nuno Espírito Santo is the obvious choice to replace Graham Potter imo.

PL proven and actually a decent manager. I don’t think it will take too much for results to improve under him because I do believe we have a good bunch of players.

— West Ham Fan Zone (@WHUFCFZ) September 21, 2025

An O’Neil Deal

Gary O’Neil is no stranger to West Ham’s hierarchy; he dealt with them as a player after all. Spending over two seasons at the club, O’Neil endured both relegation and promotion with the Irons, and would be a coach with fond memories of Upton Park. The inexperienced option for West Ham, O’Neil has hardly two and a half seasons as a Premier League manager under his belt.

A less ambitious option than Nuno, O’Neil’s track record at Bournemouth and Wolves suggests that he is built for the scenario West Ham currently find themselves in. A young and fresh face to come in and motivate a team to Premier League survival. The price of dreaming has cost West Ham in the last 12 months, hiring glamorous coaches in hopes of reaching Europe, when in reality, the man who got them there in the first place was hardly a looker.

Gary O'Neil is high on the list of managers West Ham United are considering should they decide to dispense with Graham Potter.

[@MiguelDelaney] #WHUFC #COYI pic.twitter.com/isg8GNLBVd

— West Ham News & Views (@WestHamViews_) September 18, 2025

The Return of a Familiar Face?

The idea of Slaven Bilic returning to West Ham eight years on from his first spell is bizarre, especially as he had hardly done anything of notable stature since leaving London. This feels like a rumour that has gone slightly too far, however romantic it sounds.

Whilst Bilic might rejuvenate the spirit around East London, with Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio leaving this summer, not a single part of the squad that clinched Europa League football remains at the club.

Underwhelming stints in England at West Bromwich Albion and Watford, as well as moves to China and Saudi Arabia, have taken the Croatian on a journey since 2017. But essentially, the only part of his resume that stands out to West Ham is the ‘managed the club before’ bullet point.

Slaven Bilic just said on @talkSPORT he would love to be back at West Ham.

If there was any past manager I would accept back at West Ham it would be him.

The passion for the club in his interview today for West Ham is exactly the type of character we need should we make a… pic.twitter.com/67MogpuE7y

— ⚒️ on 𝕏 (@Hammer_On_X) December 9, 2024

Other Potential Hammers in the Mix

There are other options, of course. Michael Carrick, a proud graduate of West Ham’s academy, will be a name that pops up a lot for clubs at the lower end of the Premier League, as an untested manager in the top tier. History will indicate that Carrick is a coach set for the top, but realistically needs another job before the Irons come calling.

Sean Dyche is another intriguing option. The man who took Burnley to Europe, and achieved 48 points with that poor, poor 2023/24 Everton squad. Dyche steadied the ship at Everton, after they themselves had seen Carlos Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez, and Frank Lampard in and out of the door in the space of a few years. Sometimes a club needs to swallow its pride and go back to its roots to find success, and for West Ham, those roots lead them to an old-school, no-nonsense, British manager.

Sean Dyche, a seasoned campaigner, could offer grit and defensive solidity to West Ham.

– C&H pic.twitter.com/3JYky3hVoc

— Central (@WestHam_Central) September 14, 2025

Who Will Take the Final Bow?

The writing is on the wall for Potter. It is not often that a manager turns it around when it gets this bad, especially as the owners are already holding talks with potential replacements. Realistically, the next West Ham United manager will be Nuno or O’Neil, depending on how negotiations go. The appointment of Nuno would go down better with fans who, like most football supporters, would react better to an individual who has achieved more.

I would not be surprised if O’Neil, given the right tools, could actually take West Ham further. The ex-Iron has proven himself in the Premier League, but the real question is, can he push a club further than 14th place? Or is that his ceiling?

West Ham are far from the team they were between 2021 and 2023, and the fanbase must readjust their expectations to the current climate. Nevertheless, this managerial merry-go-round must come to an end at some point, leaving the inevitable managerial decision approaching, nothing short of vital.