As soon as Nuno Espirito Santo became available it felt a must for West Ham United's owners to bite the bullet and dismiss Graham Potter to pounce for the Portuguese coach. Nottingham Forest decided to sack Nuno after a falling out with Evangelos Marinakis' new right-hand man Edu.
There have already been glimpses of a turnaround after watching the Hammers claim a 1-1 draw away to Everton on September 29. Nuno's first game in charge saw his side take a point against a team that ended Crystal Palace's 19-game unbeaten streak just days later.
Nuno has shown he can steer teams out of a difficult period and oversee a remarkable transformation. Many put his success at Forest down to the constant signings but Ange Postecoglou's shambolic start at the City Ground makes clear just how important the 51-year-old was.
West Ham must give Nuno time & control
The general consensus when David Moyes departed at the end of the 2023-24 season was that it was time for a new start with a different man in the dugout. Julen Lopetegui had impressed at Wolves but the Spaniard failed to replicate his efforts at Molineux at the London Stadium.
The Hammers dismissed Lopetegui and moved for Potter a decision that has proven to be the wrong one. The English tactician was just as much as a letdown as Lopetegui was and the pair failed to be the replacement the club needed to replace Europa Conference League winner Moyes.
Nuno has the credentials to be that ideal candidate given his track record of success when allowed to handle his group of players without outside interference. He is a strong character who will stand firm on doing it his way and doesn't want the influence of those working upstairs which was the problem between the Portuguese and Edu at Forest.
Marinakis decided to cut ties because of Nuno's comments about recruitment and the situation but he'll realise just how crucial he was to their success. Let's not forget they were battling it out in the top five for most of last season before clinching Europa League qualification.
Taking it step by step reaps its rewards
Time is of the essence for Nuno and that's where Tottenham Hotspur went wrong, giving him just over four months. That isn't enough time for him to put his stamp on the team and Wolves know all about how patience is vital.
Wolves gave Nuno four years and this saw him oversee promotion to the Premier League and then reach the Europa League quarter-finals. Every season at any club there was clear progress and his dismissals have usually been because of disagreements with the higher-ups.
A message to David Sullivan and his fellow board members is to stay on their new manager's good side. Don't serve as distraction, which includes targeting players that don't fit his vision, we've seen how this pans out in the form of Guido Rodriguez.