West Ham United have appointed former midfielder Scott Parker as head coach of the men’s first team on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
The 45-year-old will take charge for the first time in Wednesday night’s Championship match away to Cardiff City.
Parker will work alongside first-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Leping, while former team-mate Mark Noble will also have a close involvement. West Ham say further details about his long-term coaching staff will be announced in due course.
The appointment marks Parker’s return to the club where he made 129 appearances between 2007 and 2011. He was named Hammer of the Year in three successive seasons and became only the second West Ham player, after Bobby Moore, to win the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award, receiving the honour in 2010/11.
Parker has also managed Fulham, AFC Bournemouth and Burnley, guiding each club from the Championship to the Premier League in 2020, 2022 and 2025 respectively. He was named Championship Manager of the Season with Burnley in 2024/25.
“It’s a very proud moment for me to take on this role and return to a club that means so much to me and my family. I have many fond memories here probably the best four years of my career,” Parker said.
“There’s a warmth here, a love, a feeling I might not have experienced elsewhere. What stands out most is the relationship I built with the fans. I felt that understanding and respect immediately.”
He added: “Most importantly, I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity. I’m honoured and grateful to be the one to lead us back to the Premier League as head coach of this club.”
“I’m putting all my energy, enthusiasm, desire and passion into this. I’ve felt that from the moment I first heard it might happen. I came here for this, and I hope to stay here.”
Parker said discussions with West Ham Interim Chief Executive Karim Virani and Daniel Kretinsky had made their shared ambition clear.
“When I first spoke with Karim [Virani] and Daniel [Kretinsky], it was clear they shared a common vision and wanted to get the club back to the Premier League as quickly as possible. I share the same goal, and I’m very confident we can achieve it.”
Parker added: “I’ve managed at this level three times and been promoted all three times. This division is tough, there’s no doubt about that. I will bring all my experience and knowledge to understand what we need to do to stay consistent.”
“That will be crucial for all of us. The consistency in what we do, and the determination we put in, will give us the best chance of getting out of this division and becoming the team we can be.”
Virani said Parker was the unanimous choice of the West Ham board.
“We are thrilled to welcome Scott and his family back to the club. He is highly respected at West Ham United and throughout football, and he was the unanimous choice of the board as our new head coach.”
“He has excellent experience and a successful track record, both as a player and as a manager. He achieved outstanding results as a head coach in the Championship, and he has a deep understanding of West Ham United, the club’s identity, and our loyal and passionate fans.”
“We believe these factors combined make him the right person to lead us forward and help the club achieve its goals this season and beyond. Scott has the full support of everyone here. Based on our conversations with him, we are confident he will represent West Ham United and our supporters in a way that will make us all incredibly proud.”
