It might sound hyperbolic, but West Ham United are in something of a crisis at the moment.
They may have earned themselves an impressive win away to Nottingham Forest a few weeks ago, but they’ve lost their other four games by a combined score of 14-3.
The club might put out a press release indicating their support for Graham Potter, but he is overseeing relegation form, and therefore, it feels like a matter of when and not if he is replaced.
West Ham have already been linked with a host of possible alternatives, including Kieran McKenna, although they’re also eyeing up a clear upgrade on him.
Why West Ham might want McKenna
While a host of managers are currently out of work, one name recently linked with West Ham is McKenna.
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He might not be the biggest name, but it’s not hard to see why the Hammer might want to hire the Northern Irishman to take over from Potter.
First and foremost, his record with Ipswich Town is significantly more impressive than the Englishman’s record with the Irons.
Games
179
24
Wins
83
6
Draws
48
5
Losses
48
13
Points per Game
1.66
0.96
For example, the “sensational” 39-year-old, as John Barnes dubbed him, has an impressive record of 83 wins, 48 losses, and 48 draws with the Suffolk side, which comes out to an average of 1.66 points per game.
In contrast, since taking the job in January, the former Chelsea boss has overseen just six wins with the East Londoners, but 13 losses and five draws, which works out to a poor average of just 0.96 points per game.
Another reason McKenna might tempt the East Londoners is the fact that he helped turn the Tractor Boys from a lowly League One side into a Premier League outfit in the space of a few years, without a great deal of investment.
Yet, with all that said, West Ham now appear keen on another top-quality manager, one who would be a better hire than McKenna: Nuno Espírito Santo.
At least that is according to a recent report from Football Insider, which claims the former Nottingham Forest manager is now “high” up on the list of potential Potter replacements.
Moreover, as he’s not currently in a job, the club wouldn’t have to pay a fee to get him.
Why Nuno would be a better an upgrade on McKenna
So, as we’ve outlined above, McKenna would be a good hire for West Ham; he’s shown as much over the last few years.
However, there are a number of reasons why we think Nuno would be an even better option, notably his experience.
The Northern Irishman might have gotten a taste of Premier League football with Ipswich last season, but that’s it; he’s managed just 38 games at the top level, and while his team played some good football at points, they still went down.
Games
184
38
Wins
72
4
Draws
45
10
Losses
67
24
Points per Game
1.42
0.58
In contrast, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager has taken charge of 184 games in the Premier League, of which his teams have won 72, lost 67, drawn 45 and averaged 1.42 points per game.
Another big tick in favour of the “incredible” Portuguese coach, as dubbed by Sky Sports’ Sam Obaseki, is what he managed to achieve at Forest.
When he was appointed manager of the Tricky Trees, they were staring down the barrel of relegation, sitting five points off the drop and with just a single win from their last 13 matches – sound familiar?
He then guided them to safety in his first half-season, before leading them back to European football for the first time in generations last season.
More than that, he turned what was previously an easily beatable team into a solid and incredibly difficult side to break down, so much so that Matz Sels ended up winning the Golden Glove alongside David Raya.
Ultimately, while McKenna may go on to become a hugely successful manager, there would still be an element of risk in hiring him.
However, there would be far less risk in hiring Nuno, as he’s already proven at this level and has shown an ability to turn a relegation-threatened side into one fighting for European places.