Angelo Ogbonaa may well be the leading candidate as Hammer of the Year and in a new interview he has given his most outspoken views yet on the club and where it’s going.

One things is for sure as far as he is concerned, this really is a new West Ham and the most important time he has experienced whilst being at the club.

Thankfully the stench of disappointment, unrest and protest has been shoved into the background almost solely via the manager’s approach to things and the wholehearted response of the players to his ways.

He recalls his time at Juventus and puts the club ‘s approach into a West Ham context saying: “Winning is not important…it is the only thing that counts”

Oggy is now in his sixth season at the Hammers and has simply got better as the boss at the back – a rock who rarely gives anything other than a seven or eight performance.

Discussing things West Ham at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9205623/Angelo-Ogbonna-claims-smell-change-West-Ham-David-Moyes-took-over.html : “I think it’s the most important time since I came to West Ham, There is a real unity, a real togetherness. Since the manager came in, everything changed. We are united, we try our best.

‘The change comes from having professional footballers, having ambitious footballers that want to do something interesting with their future and for the club’s future.

Having young lads like Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals, Tomas Soucek, you can see the difference. You can smell that something has changed.

‘Everyone is doing what they have to do, even the young lads. As a senior player in the dressing room I can see the difference in the young players, the new signings have been fantastic. Even when we have a day off, everyone comes in. They want to do something important for the club.’

As someone who has played under managers such as Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, Ogbonna agrees there’s something even Italian about his approach.

Everything comes from discipline. Because whoever comes here, or whoever goes to Liverpool, they’re going to run. They’re going to run for (Jurgen) Klopp. They’re going to run for (Jose) Mourinho. So why can’t they run for David Moyes?

I think it comes from the discipline. In a big club, wherever it is, you have to do your part and I think he has brought something. Maybe it can annoy someone but it is something I think that can help.’

Having joined from Juventus, Ogbonna knows what it takes to be at a big club. ‘At Juventus, they say “winning is not important…it is the only thing that counts”. You don’t have a second choice. You have to be professional, be ambitious.’

Oggy has been a colossus for the team and hasn’t missed a minute of Premier League action – thus his are incredibly important views.