NUNO: STYLE OF PLAY NOT MY PRIORITY

NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO has claimed players “dictate” the style of play of any football team — and the coach is only responsible for the “identity”.

- By NEIL McLEMAN

The Portuguese coach will take charge of his first West Ham home game against Brentford tonight against the backdrop of a planned fan boycott aimed at the ownership.

The former Wolves, Spurs and Nottingham Forest boss believes the fans “will come and support us” if they see “improvement” in the 19th-placed side.

But the sacking of his successor at Forest, Ange Postecoglou, after only eight games showed the difficulty of changing managers and philosophies in mid-season.

And Nuno's pragmatic reputation appears at odds with the ‘West Ham Way’ of open, attacking football.