Nuno Espirito Santo calls for unity as he banks on the 'West Ham way' in fight to avoid relegation | OneFootball

New Hammers boss addressed planned fan boycott ahead of Brentford game

Nuno Espirito Santo has called for togetherness amid a planned boycott of West Ham’s game against Brentford, but he will know that only results can turn the tide of discontent around the club.

Nuno’s first home game in charge of West Ham threatens to be overshadowed by the latest in a series of planned supporter protests against the club’s board. Even he admits talk of a boycott is a reflection of where the club finds itself - in 19th place in the Premier League and without a point at home this season.

The ‘West Ham way’ remains loosely defined, with everyone that Nuno has spoken to offering a “positive” but different interpretation of what it means to play for the club.

“It's subjective. It's so subjective. It's a feeling,” Nuno continued.

“We have to achieve that feeling first among ourselves and then determine how we want to do things. And if this is the West Ham way, I'll be very, very pleased, believe me, because everything that I hear about the West Ham way is positive.

West Ham supporters protest before the game against Crystal Palace

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“Many, many people come to me and say, ‘the West Ham way is doing this, this, and this’. Then you meet another one and they say, ‘no, it's this, this, and this’. It's so, so difficult to understand.”

With Nuno and his newly assembled backroom staff working in the background on defining an identity, what then is the plan to get supporters back on side?

“There's no plan. My plan now, my only plan now, is to improve the team. So if the fans see improvement of the team, for sure they will come and support us.”

It was a typically candid response from the impressively calm Nuno. Before he can impart his ideas, he knows he has to make supporters fall in love with their team again. Application trumps ability in the hearts and minds of many a West Ham fan.

“Let's be honest. Let's be hard workers, because this is what the fans expect and want from us. Dedicated, committed, and things will come natural,” he explained.

For now, results take precedence, starting with a presentable home game against Brentford, themselves searching for identity under head coach Keith Andrews.

“I think it's going to be very tough,” Nuno said. “They are a very organised team with very good players, players that have been together for some time now, so they have specific routines that we have to be ready for.

“We expect a tough match, but look, honestly, it's about us now. It's about how we can compete, how we can be a team, not individual, but as a team.”

Before he can impart his ideas, Nuno knows he has to make fans fall in love with the team again

On an evening where the bond between supporters and the club looks set to fray, Nuno hopes to promote unity as a first priority.

It’s not about him finding a permanent place to stay (“it's tough having family when you're having to travel back and forth”). It’s not about the enigmatic Lucas Paqueta “settling down” after being cleared of spot-fixing charges over the summer.

An open letter to Nuno and his team from supporters’ group Hammers United, who are leading the protests against the club’s board, lent its support to the squad on Wednesday.

Protests off the pitch are not intended to hinder progress on it, but results need to change and fast in what is quickly becoming a competitive fight to avoid the drop.