Kevin Nolan has spoken out after revealing Julen Lopetegui rejected the chance to keep him in the setup at West Ham.
When it was officially announced that West Ham were going to part ways with David Moyes it was no great shock to fans.
Speculation had been rife in the press for months, culminating in the Scot leaving at the end of his contract.
The Hammers have appointed Julen Lopetegui as Moyes’ successor with the Spaniard unveiled on Thursday.
Prior to that it was announced that eight staff members in the first team setup had also left the club.
One of those was much-loved coach Kevin Nolan.
Hammers fans wanted Nolan stay
The former West Ham skipper is a huge fan favourite. And supporters had been urging the club to keep him on in some capacity as part of Lopetegui’s new setup.
Many West Ham fans felt it was important to keep a connection between the fans and management team.
Somebody who knows what supporters want and expect and a bridge between the players and new head coach.
But alas Nolan joined another seven in departing the club. Only goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero was retained by his fellow Spaniard in the new first team structure while Mark Robson is expected to drop back down to the academy.
Lopetegui has brought in his own team of staff in sweeping changes.
Now Nolan has spoken out after Lopetegui rejected his West Ham stay.
Nolan speaks out after Lopetegui snub
Speaking on BBC 5 Live Sport’s Friday Football Social, Nolan opened up in detail about the situation.
The Hammers favourite revealed he had a different contract to the other coaches and wanted to stay at West Ham under Lopetegui.
But the 57-year-old did not want to keep him.
“I’ve got to thank the boss you know David Moyes for bringing me back,” Nolan said.
“I’ve got to thank Mr (David) Sullivan as well, the owner, for allowing me to come back in a coaching capacity and giving me the opportunity to be there…
“To be back at West Ham meant an awful lot to me. I think it’s about nine years now I spent playing and coaching capacity.
“For me receiving the news on Monday was a bitter blow. It was disappointing on my behalf because I wanted to stay. But as we all know, it’s football and that’s it. That’s done now and we look forward and start thinking about the future…
‘My contract was different’
“I think it’s come as a bit of a shock for all of us. Especially when it was released a couple of weeks before the season had finished. Because we were all under the illusion – well I certainly was from what had been passed down from David Moyes – was that he’d be talking to them in the summer again and that would be it.
“It was unfortunate the way it all unfolded in the end…
“My contract was a bit different. My contract would have just rolled on with the new manager if he would have wanted me. But obviously he wants his new team which you get and you know, unfortunately I got the news on Monday.”
Nolan says he now wants to be a number one somewhere.
But he is also open to working alongside other managers at another Premier League club if the opportunity arises.
He also says he holds no bitterness towards West Ham and is ‘excited’ to see what the future holds for him.