Nuno Espirito Santo says he’s honored to be the English Premier League’s only current Black manager.
The West Ham United manager who was born in Sao Tome and Principe, has managed four different clubs in the league following previous spells with Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.
The 51-year-old was recently appointed at the Hammers in September, few weeks after he was dismissed from his role at Nottingham Forest.
Speaking in an interview, Nuno Espirito acknowledged the privilege of managing an English top-flight club as a black man.
“I think there are a lot of black managers with talent that can soon be involved in the Premier League.
“Many [black coaches] are going to have good seasons, they’re going to be available”, the 51-year-old said.
Nuno Espirito’s first role in England was at Wolves in 2017, before moving to Spurs in 2021 where he spent less than four months in charge.
He returned to join Nottingham Forest in December 2023 after a short stint in Saudi Arabia and guided the Tricky Trees to an European finish.
However, a public fallout with club owner Evangelos Marinakis led to his dismissal in September, before he was appointed at West Ham few weeks later to replace Graham Potter.
“The difference between us is not something that clubs look at. I don’t believe it,” Nuno continued.
“It’s by your talent, it’s by your hard work and by luck that we have a project that you did well, then people look to hire.”
The Portuguese has had a rocky start to life at West Ham United, but recorded his first win in charge when the Hammers defeated Newcastle United 3-1 at the London Stadium last Sunday.
West Ham host newly-promoted Burnley in the English Premier League on Saturday, hoping to record consecutive wins for the first time under the Portuguese manager.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
