Paco Jémez, one of Spain’s most distinctive football minds, has officially joined West Ham United as First Team Coach, stepping into the limelight of English football for the first time in his career. The 55-year-old Spaniard, renowned for his attacking philosophy and charismatic leadership, integrates into Nuno Espírito Santo’s coaching staff at a time when the Hammers are desperate for inspiration and results.
West Ham’s confirmation of Jémez’s appointment on January 15, 2026, comes during a turbulent season for the East London club. The Hammers currently languish in 18th place in the Premier League, seven points adrift of safety and enduring a ten-match winless streak. With relegation fears mounting, the club’s hierarchy has doubled down on their support for Nuno, allowing him to bolster his backroom staff with the experienced Spaniard.
Jémez’s arrival is seen as a signal of intent, not just a stopgap. He brings nearly two decades of managerial experience, having overseen more than 500 matches across Spain, Mexico, and Iran. His last post was with UD Ibiza in Spain’s Primera Federación, a stint that ended in October 2025 after a disappointing start to the campaign. Despite the setback, Jémez’s reputation remains strong, particularly from his iconic spell at Rayo Vallecano, where he led the club to a record-high eighth-place finish in La Liga during the 2012-13 season. His teams were known for their swashbuckling, high-possession style, once averaging the fifth-highest possession stats in Europe—behind only the likes of Manchester City, PSG, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.
Jémez’s influence extends beyond tactics. Admired by Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, he is considered an innovator—one who famously declared he would "rather lose 5-0 sticking to his attacking principles than win while abandoning his blueprint." That philosophy, forged through 21 caps as a Spain international and over 250 La Liga appearances for Rayo Vallecano, Deportivo La Coruña, and Real Zaragoza, now finds a new home in London.
His integration into the Hammers’ setup comes at a pivotal moment. Nuno Espírito Santo, who took over from Graham Potter in September 2025 after a brief and fractious stint at Nottingham Forest, has struggled to steady the ship. Despite a recent FA Cup victory over Queens Park Rangers, West Ham’s league form has been dire. The club’s board, led by David Sullivan, has nevertheless opted to back Nuno, allowing him to add trusted lieutenants and invest over £50 million in January signings—strikers Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe among them.
Jémez will work alongside a support team that includes Mark Robson, Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and goalkeeping coaches Rui Barbosa and Billy Lepine. His appointment is subject to a successful work permit, but the club is optimistic he will be in the dugout for the crucial London derby against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. That match, set for Saturday, looms large as the Hammers look to halt their slide and ignite a survival push.
The mood among West Ham supporters, however, remains fraught. Many fans have voiced frustration on social media, questioning both Nuno’s continued tenure and the rationale behind bringing in Jémez—who, despite his pedigree, has never worked in English football and has no prior partnership with Nuno. As one supporter put it on X: "Only took 3 months to get one of his staff members in. What a shambles of a football club." Another added: "Why are we continuing to back this absolute coward of a manager? Bloke should be gone already, let alone be getting more staff." Such sentiments underscore the skepticism facing Jémez as he seeks to win over both the dressing room and the terraces.
Inside the club, though, there is cautious optimism. Nuno, speaking to reporters on Thursday, welcomed Jémez’s arrival, stating, "It’s one more person to help us. The coaching staff [has] more numbers. More numbers means more ideas, more energy. He is an experienced coach and he will bring new things to us. He will help us definitely." The Portuguese manager emphasized the need for fresh perspectives and renewed energy as West Ham prepare for a run of fixtures that could define their season.
Saturday’s match against Tottenham is shaping up to be a stern test. The Hammers will be without El Hadji Malick Diouf, who is away with Senegal for the AFCON final, while doubts remain over the fitness of Lucas Paqueta, who missed the FA Cup win with a back injury amid swirling transfer rumors linking him to Flamengo. Mateus Fernandes is also set for a late fitness test, and defensive stalwarts Lukasz Fabianski and Konstantinos Mavropanos remain sidelined. Nuno acknowledged the challenge, remarking, "[Tottenham] is a good team, full of talented players. Always a tough place to go. We expect a very tough match and it’s a rival – it’s a London derby. What they expect from us is that we put up a good fight, then we’ll see. It’s a tough opponent and we need to have a good result. Our focus is to go there and compete. There is a lot of football to be played, but each game is very, very important for us."
Despite the pressure, Nuno insists he is focused on the task at hand, not the speculation surrounding his future. "I can only speak for me. I try and ignore [the outside noise] as much as possible so as not to get distracted," he said. "But then I get the briefing and I have to deal with you guys [the media], the ‘noise.’ It’s not so important for us as managers honestly, but I really try and shield our players from that noise because they need the peace of mind to perform. We have to block the noise and help the players focus on what really matters."
As West Ham prepare for a critical stretch, the arrival of Paco Jémez injects both uncertainty and hope. Will his bold ideas and attacking mindset help galvanize a struggling squad? Or will the club’s gamble on experience and innovation prove too little, too late? For now, the Hammers—and their fans—are left to wait and see if Jémez can help script an unlikely escape from the drop zone.
