Paco Jemez is already well on his way to being something of a cult hero at West Ham – now he may just have cemented that status with a revelation about bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
West Ham and Spurs are locked in a fight for Premier League survival heading into the last seven games of the season.
The Hammers were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa while Tottenham Hotspur were being thumped 3-0 at home by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest.
It means West Ham now trail Spurs by one point.
West Ham coach Jemez snubbed Spurs and now he could send them down
And Nuno Espirito Santo’s side can pile the pressure on Tottenham by dumping them into the bottom three with a win over Wolves at home after the international break – before Igor Tudor’s side play Sunderland away the following day.
If West Ham do manage to survive at the expense of Spurs, it is fair to say Hammers fans would absolutely love it.
What would you say if Paco Jemez took Nuno’s job?
He's certainly made a big impact…
One man who has been key to West Ham even being in with a chance of staying up is Paco Jemez.
The no-nonsense coach was drafted in as Nuno’s new assistant at the turn of the year and has been praised by players and fans for his impact.
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Ironically that started with West Ham’s last gasp 2-1 win at Tottenham back in January which sparked a run of just two defeats in 12 games for the Hammers.
The former Ibiza manager’s influence has also been noted by pundits, with Jamie Carragher saying Jemez can be the difference in West Ham staying up.
Now Jemez has made a Tottenham Hotspur revelation that will delight West Ham fans.
Not only has Jemez helped the Hammers close a 12-point gap on Spurs to just one point, he also turned them down.
West Ham Central has posted Jemez’s claim on X, stating: “Paco Jemez says he rejected an offer to join Nuno at Tottenham a few years ago.”
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Just when West Ham fans thought Jemez couldn’t get any better.
Jemez’s impact has gone beyond tactics.
The Spaniard has resonated with Hammers fans, most notably when Jemez read the riot act to Nuno on the touchline over his tactics.
Nuno wanted to bring on Max Kilman to see out a game. But Jemez revealed afterwards that he was telling the Portuguese to make a more attacking sub instead.
West Ham supporters love to see that kind of passion and Jemez also showed he meant business and had not come to east London to be a ‘yes man’ for the head coach.
Now it has been revealed he snubbed Spurs, Jemez will only further endear himself to the Hammers faithful.
He will become a bona fide West Ham cult hero if the Irons stay up over Spurs.
The Hammers likely need at least three wins – and perhaps a draw – from their remaining fixtures to give themselves a realistic chance of survival, though the exact number could shift depending on results around them.
Crucially, there are still winnable games on the schedule. Home fixtures will be key, with the London Stadium needing to become a fortress for the run-in. But there are also tricky away trips where simply picking up a point could prove vital.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are dealing with their own pressure. Their run-in is mixed, with a combination of sides pushing for Europe and fellow strugglers.
That could work in West Ham’s favour but goal difference may yet prove decisive and the Hammers’ is vastly inferior as things stand.