By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Tomáš Souček has already produced the perfect response to an ugly threat from a Millwall supporter — and he managed it without saying a word. The West Ham midfielder was filmed outside a shop in Millharbour as a man across the road threatened to “cut his face off” at The Den.
Souček simply looked towards him, laughed and carried on with his day. The video was posted on X on Monday and subsequently reported by Fan Banter ahead of Saturday’s enormous Championship derby.
Souček refuses to be intimidated
If I’m honesty, I’m not sure how clearly Souček heard every word or whether he completely understood what was being shouted at him.
However, there was certainly no visible sign that he felt too bothered by the moron. There was no confrontation, panic or grandstanding from the Czech international — he merely laughed at the person filming him and walked off.
Quite why the Millwall fan felt the need to film himself threating someone before posting it on social media is anyone’s guess. But it’s fair to say the Lions fan was a few fries short of a happy meal and ultimately no harm was done.
Later comments reveal West Ham mentality
Clearly Big Sou hasn’t been thrown out of his stride by the the incident. Speaking ahead of the clash on Saturday morning, Soucek revealed he was looking forward to playing in the London derby.
“The momentum is building, the changing room is in a great place, and we are feeling confident. I have enjoyed some really good times, but last year was obviously very tough. That is the biggest motivation for me to help take West Ham back to the Premier League.”
West Ham must follow Souček’s example
Saturday’s Millwall versus West Ham clash will be loud, hostile and extremely intense. After such a lengthy gap between meetings, there has inevitably been an enormous build-up around the history of the Dockers Derby.
The authorities have also confirmed additional measures surrounding the fixture, but Nuno Espírito Santo’s players cannot allow the occasion to become a distraction. Their job is to remain composed and make sure the football does the talking and no amount of high street provocation will alter that.