“When I talked to the coach he told me that he was extremely happy with me. That he is convinced that I will get more minutes, more chances and start playing, that I am a great professional. …I definitely don’t want to sit on the bench, I still feel like I can play in the Premier League.” (sportwitness.co.uk).
Now that strikes me as unrealistic for a player who is 32 and is struggling for form and pace at both international and domestic levels. The hugely successful recruitment of Aaron Wan-Bissaka (main pic) should serve as a brutal reality check for Coufal that his chances of making the first team are pretty much zero.
If Vlad needed more proof that his first -team days were numbered, he only need remember that Lopetegui has already used Konstantinos Mavropanos as an emergency full-back against Brentford, in preference to Coufal who was sitting waiting on the bench.
I love the Czech’s attitude and he’s been a great servant: The brutal facts of life for footballers mean that when your time is up, say goodbye and move on. His contract expires in seven months so West Ham will no doubt take whatever they can get for the Czech in January: I suspect a move to Galatasaray beckons and we may well be watching the Czech’s last few games in Claret and Blue.
The worrying issue from Coufal’s quote is that he claims he was effectively told by the coach that he was wanted and would start playing. There is no easier way for a coach to lose the dressing room than making promises he doesn’t keep, so let’s hope Lopetegui means it.
Although, given AWB’s attitude in recent games perhaps Coufal is going to be back as No.1 😁.
He came on after 67 minutes against Everton, so hardly the case of having a zero chance of playing