Slaven Bilic has shown his tough side by banning troubled Morgan Amalfitano from the training ground after breaches of discipline.
The Daily Mail reports the Hammers boss has told the midfielder to stay away from Chadwell Heath – and the Frenchman has now been exiled to training with the Under 21s at nearby Rush Green.
“The pair clashed when the midfielder missed a team meeting,” claims the tabloid. “It is understood the 30-year-old was read his rap sheet when banned, throwing his future at Upton Park into serious doubt.”
Sadly Amalfitano has ‘previous’! Former boss, Sam Allardyce, promised he would be ‘dealt with’ after the player was sent off off barely 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute in an FA Cup defeat against West Brom in February.
He was booked for a nasty challenge on Chris Brunt before pushing the West Brom midfielder in the face – referee Martin Atkinson issuing two yellow cards for the same incident.
Bilic will not stand for ill-discipline and his actions will serve as a reminder to the rest of the squad of the high standards that are going to be expected from all the players during the course of the season.
Utterly stupid of any player trying to challenge the new gaffer’s authority this early.
He should have just admitted his mistake and taken the punishment on the chin.
It’ll be interesting to see how Bilic handles this further: Will Amalfitano be shown the door as a consequence ? Or will training wih the development squad be seen as a means to give him some time to think and after that it’ll be forgive and forget and another chance ?
Who knows ? It may help Amalfitano to focus and work his way back into the manager’s plans…
The list of players who could be shipped out is growing but it’s going to be hard to find other teams interested,
But the squad is nearly full and there is still transfer business to do,
For instance is interest in green because we don’t rate Randolph ?
If we are interested in Fer and Moses is Jarvis on the way,
If we want Song or Hudlestone is Nolan going ?
If he’s all attitude then it’s time to say au revoir but if he wants to buck his ideas up Slav is fair and will give him a chance. My suspicion is he’ll be on his way.
He certainly has a lot of talent, his attitude is the issue as it has been at every club he has played at. Hopefully he will make an apology to Bilic and the team and get his head down and prove he is worth a place in the starting line up, it will either be the making of him or the exit door at yet another club for him the choice is his.
Bilic has made an example of him & needed too. Showed everyone who’s boss & players will respect him more for it. (If that is possible) wouldn’t be so surprised if he was gone b4 end of window.. brave man to cross Bilic. Imagine standing in front of a pi**ed off Bilic & Dicks.. 😀
That is almost as scary as forgetting the wife’s birthday. I think it is a shame that Morgan has done this, he has looked okay during pre season and has talent. was he annoyed at having competition? certainly not a good thing for his hammers career! Good that Slav has put his foot down on any nonsense.