By Hughie Southon
Maxwell Cornet has had an incredibly long wait to make any impact at West Ham but now might be the time.
Injured soon after arriving and facing surgery in France he is a frustrated man who simply wants to make a difference and those who have watched closely on his rare appearances believe he can do exactly that.
The unforgettably crazy decision to allow his goal against Chelsea remains as fresh in the memory as ever and even since his return he has looked up for it with some great touches during cameo roles.
With hugely important games coming up against the likes of Bournemouth and Liverpool, tomorrow night’s game against Gent could be a real starting point for him.
And were he to hit the sort of form of which he is known to be capable he could even turn out on Sunday as his energy levels would see him as almost a new arrival,
Speaking to www.whufc.com he said: ““For me it’s been really difficult because when I signed for West Ham I came here to show everyone I can help the team to do something in the Premier League.
“Obviously, I had my injury and it was really difficult for me in my mind, for my body, and we tried to do everything to come back as quick as possible. I thought it was just a kick, but day after day, week after week, we saw it was not a normal injury and it would take more time than we first expected.
“Everyone at the club, the staff of West Ham, tried to find the best option to try to heal the injury and that way we decided I would go back to Lyon and make something else to help.
I worked in a private clinic with specialists I knew from my time in Lyon who we could trust and we got it right.
“I know I’m a different player from the others in the squad. The coach recruited me because of this and that’s what I try to give the team.
“I started to feel good match after match and you could see that against Chelsea where I had a goal disallowed. I started to have good legs but unfortunately during my first Premier League start, where I really showed the player that I am, I got injured, but that’s football I guess…”
He is clearly hoping for an appearance tomorrow and said: “The Conference League is important. You can’t underestimate this competition, it’s an important competition, for us the players, for the Club and the coach too. So, in every game in this tournament, we will give 100 per cent.