Nuno thinks West Ham have a 'diamond' of a footballer who is already 'really special'

For those used to dozing off as Graham Potter monotonously repeated the same tired talking points every week, the passion and the expression Nuno Espirito Santo brings to the West Ham United dugout makes for a very welcome change.

The experienced Iberian may have arrived as a renowned developer of talent, as ‘proven’ a Premier League manager West Ham United could wish to get, but Nuno Espirito Santo had the reporters eating out the palm of his hand on the back of that morale-saving 3-1 victory over Newcastle.

A silver-tongued orator, as well as a very handy coach.

Joe Cole did a full 180 on West Ham’s survival hopes after Nuno’s maiden three points last weekend. So too did Jamie Carragher. The Liverpool legend expects happier Hammers days under the man who took Nottingham Forest from 17th to seventh.

The head coach’s positivity is starting to rub off on the players, too. Nuno saw a West Ham squad determined to put things right after that Leeds defeat consigned them to their worst league start in 52 years.

El Hadji Malick Diouf, in particular, appeared to appreciate the extra effort made behind the scenes to put smiles back on claret and blue faces. Though, as Nuno explains in his pre-Burnley press conference, he alone cannot take the credit for that statement win over Eddie Howe’s Magpies.

Nuno Espirito Santo labels El Hadji Malick Diouf West Ham United’s ‘diamond’

Malick Diouf clearly loved seeing his photo, and those of his West Ham teammates, adorning the home team’s dressing room before kick-off last week.

Among a collection of childhood snaps was a frosted-tipped Niclas Fullkrug, a beaming, boyish Kyle Walker-Peters, and a baby-faced Diouf back home in his native Senegal.

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“First of all, he is a beautiful boy. He is someone really special. He’s so sensitive,” Nuno said with a proud smile on his face. “I think this has to do with [his journey], the way he arrived here.

“I think he is living a dream. He is playing in the Premier League and he enjoys it so much.”

Funnily enough, Malick Diouf described West Ham life as ‘a dream’ himself, shortly after that £19 million transfer from Czech champions Slavia Prague.

As recently as 2024, he was honing his talents in Norway with Tromso. Back in 2023, a teenage Diouf was still in Senegal, praying that someone, somewhere, would give him the chance to make it in the professional game.

If Diouf got his break in Norway, if he became a breakout star in Slavia Prague, then it is West Ham who could truly set him on the path to greatness.

“[Diouf has] a lot of things to improve, a lot of talent. Physically, [he is] something really special,” Nuno adds of his gem of a left-back. “But it’s like a diamond that you have to polish.

“If that photo [in the dressing room] produced this feeling from Malick, then that was the right feeling to have because this is how we should play football. We have great responsibilities, but you shouldn’t forget to enjoy what you do.

“It was a surprise for everybody [to see our pictures on the wall!] The player care [staff] do really nice things. [The players] were trying to figure out who was there. I will leave it to you to find out [which picture was mine]!

“It’s nice to see when we were young and had dreams. For us, it’s important to go back to that feeling. Being young, happy and trying to enjoy things.”

Nuno delighted to end London Stadium hoodoo against Newcastle

Powered by a shot of childhood nostalgia and a burning desire to end an eight-month wait for a home victory, Lucas Paqueta and Tomas Soucek scored either side of a calamitous Sven Botman own goal as West Ham recorded only a second victory in 10 league matches.

“It was not about the photo,” Nuno says. “The boys did really well and we have to acknowledge that it has been hard. If you have been at the club so long and you don’t win at home, then you carry a big weight.

“The boys were able to release themselves and show that character. As a group of people, we want to change the situation.”

Should West Ham beat Burnley by four clear goals – though that is easier said than done – Nuno’s side will climb out of the relegation zone for the first time all season.

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