Scott Parker’s dramatic West Ham return leaves him struggling for words

The Guardian · Jacob Steinberg · 2026-11-05 22:30 UTC

The former midfielder with impressive managerial promotion record began with a thrilling comeback in draw at Cardiff

Three days in and Scott Parker has already lost his voice. West Ham’s head coach arrived on Tuesday, watched his side fight back from 3-0 down to draw with Cardiff on Wednesday and was struggling to make himself heard when he met the media on Thursday afternoon.

“It’s like in the summer holidays,” Parker said. “You put the flip-flops on for five weeks, then you come back home and you get your shoes on. You’re in a minute, you’ve got a blister on the back of your heel. It’s the same with a throat. I’ve not shouted for a little while. All of a sudden there’s shouting and it’s a bit croaky.”

Parker is back in the thick of it. Out of work after leaving Burnley in the wake of relegation from the Premier League last April, he cut short his break from management when West Ham parted company with Nuno Espírito Santo. Nuno was sacked early on Tuesday and replaced by Parker, who is intent on leading West Ham out of the Championship at the first time of asking.

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