Julen Lopetegui may be facing a bit of a backlash after a concerning injury to new West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug, and the situation could be somewhat self-inflicted.
When Fullkrug arrived at West Ham in a £23.5 million deal from Borussia Dortmund, he was eager to hit the ground running. In fact, his first question to Karren Brady after stepping off the plane was: “Where can I train? Because I don’t like to miss a single day.” This reveals a lot about the player’s mentality—he knows that staying active and in rhythm is key to avoiding injury, a lesson he’s learned the hard way throughout his career.
Fullkrug came to West Ham expecting to be the first-choice striker, ready to contribute immediately. However, Lopetegui has kept him on the bench in favour of Michail Antonio in every Premier League game so far. This decision may have frustrated Fullkrug, who thrives on regular play to maintain his fitness and form. His track record with injuries is long, and he has openly spoken about how staying active has helped him avoid setbacks in recent years.
Disaster struck, though, when Fullkrug left Germany’s national training camp with an Achilles tendon and calf issue. Whether or not this injury is serious, it’s clear that Fullkrug won’t be risked for the upcoming Fulham game. Achilles problems aren’t something to take lightly, especially given Fullkrug’s injury history.
While injuries are part of football, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this could have been avoided had Lopetegui given Fullkrug more playing time early on. Now, West Ham will hope the injury isn’t too severe with the latest reports suggesting an October return.