West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo delivered a Phil Brown-esque half-time team-talk away at Lincoln on Wednesday night… and it seems to have been a stroke of genius.
Premier League fans of a certain vintage will fondly remember former Hull City manager Brown’s iconic team-talk away at Manchester City in 2008, but it seems to have caught on in the Championship, 18 years later.
The bizarrely comedic moment is one that sticks in the mind of every fan luckily enough to witness it.
Nuno must be spending his days off watching Premier League Years on TV. With his side only 1-0 up after playing against a nine-man Lincoln team for the best part of the first half, he thought an on-field talking to would be the perfect way to whip them into shape.
And what do you know? It did. Nobody except the Hammers’ staff and players will know what Nuno said but whatever it was it did the trick. West Ham came out looking like a completely different side in the second half and scored five more, demolishing Championship new boys Lincoln City.
The Irons will hope this will be another three points towards promotion and that they won’t have to travel to the ProAmpac Stadium again next season but, if they were to, Jarrod Bowen and Co might think of pulling a Jimmy Bullard and recreating Nuno’s team-talk as part of a celebration.
Unlike Brown, Nuno’s stern approach go the job done as West ham got their fifth win of the campaign
Phil Brown delivered his legendary on-field half time team talk back in 2008
Brown delivered his infamous team talk on Boxing day in 2008 but there was nothing cheery about it at the time. He masterminded Hull’s first ever promotion to the Premier League in the season prior by winning the play offs in dramatic fashion, and went on to enjoy a fine start to the 2008-09 Premier League season.
After nine games and six wins the Tigers were sat joint top of the Premier League table going into the final game of October, but this form did not last. The next nine games saw just one win and four defeats and pressure began to mount on Brown.
And on Boxing Day the red mist descended. After 45 minutes away at Manchester City they were 4-0 down and an incensed Brown was so disappointed with his squad he humiliated them by making them sit on the turf and take a tongue lashing in front of their travelling fans.
For the neutral it was a strange yet hilarious moment and unfortunately for the Tigers had no effect on the final score, as City ran out 5-1 winners.
