Pablo Zabaleta is on board for another year thank goodness and has been explaining his pleasure at serving the club for another 12 months.
Speaking to www.whufc.com he declared: “I said this when I first came to the club that West Ham is a club with huge potential.
“We need to build a team around young players and they need to make this club better. This is our duty as a football player, we need to feel that everyone is enjoying playing for West Ham, that we’re playing in front of 60,000 fans every week, and the away support from West Ham fans is incredible too.
“Everyone has to feel proud and happy to play for this football club. The club spent big last summer trying to bring in young players, I’m glad when I see young promising players come through at the club and as I said, I hope I can see Declan Rice, Issa Diop, Felipe Anderson to be here for or four or five years.
“And I hope the club can continue bringing in talent and developing players – I wish that West Ham can be a top 10 team every single season and why not try to fight for European places.”
He added: “I’m just still enjoying the game; I come in every morning and see the lads and train and play games, it’s something that is fantastic for me really.
“I know I need to be honest with myself, I know I’m coming to the end of my career now and I just need to probably start thinking about my future, but at the moment I don’t want to really think too much about this.
I just want to focus on what we’re doing with the Club and with the team this season and be ready to go again next season, because I just want to enjoy every single moment.
“When you are in your thirties you need to have that role in the dressing room, where you need to help the young players who come from the Academy to continue to develop, to talk to them, to make them feel comfortable, to learn, listen to people, to the manager, to the players and I feel like I can do this. We’ve got a group of fantastic players and great lads and we’re enjoying being together.”
ClaretandHugh says: Were there a lot more like Zaba in football the game would be in a much better place. He was a legend at Manchester City and has a job back at the club as a coach or ambassador whenever he he wants one. However, his status at West Ham has become almost the equal of what he achieved in the north west and his decision to remain at the London Stadium is the best possible news as the season draws to its end. He has been in tremendous form all season and, despite his age, clearly has another season in him although undoubtedly we can expect to see him mentoring the younger players he mentions in his interview here. He has yet to give a meaningless interview since arriving at the club and once again his words are encouraging and uplifting here. He and the manager obviously get along very well indeed and WHUFC is a better place for having Zaba around.
Zabaleta strikes me as a loyal employee who wants to help improve whoever is paying his wages. That is as it should be. We all know his heart is at Manchester City but not once have I ever thought he’s not 100% focused on helping West Ham improve. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pellegrini asked him to stay to show players inside and outside the club that West Ham is a club players want to be. It wouldn’t surprise me if he agreed solely to help the club and his manager. I can’t speak highly enough of his character.
Although he probably will go back to Manchester City after next season. I’d be more than happy for him to stay on as a coach or player/coach and learn his trade under Pellegrini. Having his voice at the club can only benefit us.