Jamie O’Hara has sparked a major debate by suggesting West Ham should sack Nuno Espirito Santo even if he wins promotion, but the outspoken pundit’s argument raises a bigger question: is getting the Hammers back to the Premier League enough, or must the manager prove he can keep them there?

West Ham have made an encouraging start to life in the Championship, sitting second after 11 games and riding a nine-match unbeaten league run. They are also the division’s top scorers, with 30 goals, despite concerns about their performances in several matches.

Yet Nuno Espirito Santo continues to divide opinion, with some supporters unconvinced by his cautious approach and slow starts. Jamie O’Hara is never shy in voicing his opinion in his role as a pundit and he believes promotion should be the bare minimum for a club with West Ham’s resources and players such as Jarrod Bowen.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Spurs midfielder questioned whether the Hammers should automatically give Nuno another season in the top flight.

“They will be back in the Premier League, West Ham,” O’Hara said.

“But so what, they’re winning some games. They’re West Ham! They’ve got Jarrod Bowen playing in the team! It’s a cheat code…”

He then went further, asking whether West Ham should thank Nuno for getting them promoted before moving on.

“Why give him a year (back in the Premier League)? Why? Just say ‘thanks’.”

It is a provocative argument, but there is more to it than simply whether Nuno can win promotion.

Why O’Hara’s West Ham argument has some merit

Nuno was unable to prevent West Ham’s relegation after arriving in September last year, with the club ultimately dropping out of the Premier League on the final day.

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Tomas Soucek of West Ham United celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's fifth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Lincoln City and West Ham United at the Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium in Lincoln, on October 14, 2026.

There are also legitimate concerns among supporters about West Ham’s style of play. Nuno’s teams can be organised and difficult to beat, but the Hammers have struggled to convince in several games this season, often relying on individual quality to find a way through.

O’Hara’s point is that promotion alone should not settle the debate. If the board believes West Ham will need a more progressive approach to compete in the Premier League, it must consider whether Nuno is the right fit before another season begins.

However, the pundit’s comments are not a detailed tactical case against the manager. His central argument is that West Ham should expect promotion with the squad and resources at their disposal, rather than treating it as an achievement that automatically guarantees Nuno another year.

There is a compelling counterargument.

Nuno has already proved he can take a team out of the Championship and establish it in the Premier League. He led Wolves to the Championship title in 2017-18 with 99 points, then guided them to consecutive seventh-place finishes in the top flight and a Europa League quarter-final.

That is precisely the sort of record West Ham would hope to replicate.

His current work also deserves credit. After a difficult start to the Championship campaign, Nuno guided West Ham through an unbeaten September, collecting 13 points and scoring 18 goals in five matches. He was rewarded with the Championship Manager of the Month award.

The Hammers have continued that form, winning at Swansea to move into the automatic promotion places. Their recent run suggests Nuno has built momentum from a heavily overhauled squad, while the club’s hierarchy has consistently backed him to lead the return to the top flight.

It would be harsh to dismiss that progress as something any manager could achieve.

Leeds United faced a similar question over Daniel Farke after winning promotion, showing that clubs do sometimes consider changing managers despite success in the Championship. But that does not necessarily make it the right decision for West Ham.

The Hammers’ board chose to retain Nuno after relegation, valuing the improvement in mentality and togetherness that it saw under his leadership.

Sacking him after promotion would therefore represent a significant change of direction, not simply the natural next step.

Nuno should certainly be judged on whether he can make West Ham competitive in the Premier League. But his Wolves record demonstrates that he is capable of doing far more than just winning promotion.

O’Hara has posed a question worth debating, but the evidence does not make the answer straightforward. If Nuno gets West Ham back up, the club will have to decide whether his strengths provide the best foundation for the next challenge — or whether a change is needed to take the team further.

For now, the priority remains promotion. If Nuno delivers it, he will have earned a serious discussion about his future, not an unprecedented dismissal.