For once, Nuno’s West Ham press conference gave on lookers answers to a couple of specific issues that have been occupying supporters and reporters alike.
First and foremost amongst those would seem to be the non-appearance of young winger Edvin Austbø in the squad against Fulham. The young Norwegian winger started life with a bang at West Ham with a goal and an assist and then just as suddenly dropped off the team sheet, fuelling concerns that the 21 year old had overstepped the mark with his reported comments about ‘joining a really big club’.
West Ham’s manager brushed away any such suggestions when pressed about Austbø’s comments reported in the Norwegian press:
“For me, it’s not an issue. For me, it’s not an issue. I think young players, all of the youngest players, they have to be aware of what they say, especially when they represent such a big club like West Ham. Everything has a feedback.
Nuno has knocked on the head any rumours of a rift following Edvin Austbø’s newspaper comments
“I’m not aware of what it was, but Edvin is working very well and we are delighted with him.”
And the Portuguese supremo had similar words concerning Edson Alvarez, again reported to have been in all sorts of bother in Mexico and having an uncertain future at east London: Is there a way back for Alvarez?
“He’s a West Ham player. He’ll be involved when we decide that he has to be involved.”
Ouch. Cross him at your peril: Magassa seems to have been forgiven, Austbo, apparently, hasn’t transgressed but as for Alvarez – sounds like he has a little more humble pie to digest before he dons the Claret and Blue again. Unlikely to be tomorrow, anyway, whereas you’d expect, at least, to see both Magassa and Austbø on the Irons’ substitutes bench.