‘We are sad’ – Nuno Espirito Santo apologises after West Ham suffer Premier League relegation

Nuno Espírito Santo apologised to West Ham supporters after the club’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on the final day of the season despite a convincing 3-0 victory over Leeds United.

The Hammers arrived at the London Stadium knowing survival was no longer entirely in their hands. While they needed to defeat Leeds, they also required Tottenham Hotspur to lose at home to Everton to avoid the drop.

West Ham held up their side of the bargain through second-half strikes from Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson, but Tottenham’s 1-0 win ensured Spurs finished two points above them in the standings.

The result ended West Ham’s 14-year stay in the Premier League and left Nuno visibly emotional after the final whistle.

‘We have to apologise’

Speaking after the match, the Portuguese coach admitted the disappointment inside the club was overwhelming after failing to complete the great escape.

“We are sad, we are disappointed but sadness is what we feel,” Nuno said.

“We knew that our mission was tough, it was not in our hands. We did our part but it was not enough.”

Nuno reserved special praise for the supporters, who continued to back the team throughout a difficult campaign, while also acknowledging the pain caused by relegation.

“We have to apologise to our fans and thank them for all their incredible support,” he added.

Despite the heartbreak, the former Wolves and Tottenham manager commended his players for maintaining professionalism under intense pressure in the closing weeks of the season.

“We did our part, it didn’t happen,” he said. “But I’m proud of the boys, it was a tough, tough day. We apologise for the situation but the club is the fans and they are going to be needed.”

Uncertain future awaits

The relegation now leaves West Ham facing the challenge of rebuilding in the Championship next season, with uncertainty surrounding the club’s immediate future.

Nuno admitted the reality of dropping into the second tier had not yet fully sunk in and insisted emotions were still too raw to begin discussing long-term plans.

“It’s going to be tough. Tomorrow and after tomorrow is going to be even tougher when you realise what you have ahead,” he said.

“West Ham is a Premier League club and deserves to be in the Premier League.”

The 52-year-old also stressed that attention would eventually turn to recovery and rebuilding, but insisted the club first needed time to process the disappointment of relegation.

“Out of respect for everyone, we cannot look to the future now,” Nuno said.

“We go to the sadness in the days ahead – and then we’ll look to the future.”