West Ham United youngster Grady Diangana has told the official club website that he believes Manuel Pellegrini’s playing style works to his strengths.
Pellegrini was appointed as West Ham manager before the start of the season and has so far enjoyed a fairly solid time at the club, with the Hammers currently sat 10th in the Premier League table.
Diangana is enjoying a breakthrough season with the club after making his Carabao Cup debut back in September against Macclesfield Town, a game in which he scored two goals.
Diangrana believes that Pellegrini’s way of playing football is perfect for him.
The youngster said:
The manager’s style of play is what I’ve grown up watching and trying to take into my game. For me, it’s been perfect
I think the fans understand that, when a young player comes in, there is a learning process and players will make mistakes.
But the important thing is that I learn from those mistakes so I don’t make the same mistake more than once.
I know I will improve. I like things to happen quickly, but I know it is a slow and gradual process.
The manager’s style of play is what I’ve grown up watching and trying to take into my game. For me, it’s been perfect.
I’ve always had coaches who have told me to express myself, from Trevor Bumstead in the Under-14s, then Mark Phillips for three years, Steve Potts with the 18s, then Liam Manning and Terry Westley in the Under-23s.
For me, the next step is to try and cement my place in the team, try to start as many games as possible and contribute to the team by scoring goals and assisting goals. I want to become a better player with every game I play.
Diangana has gone on to make another 15 appearances for the London club this season since that game against Macclesfield and was asked to name his stand-out moment so far this season:
One was obviously the first goal against Macclesfield, as I had the feeling that I belonged performing in front of that many people, but the moment I felt the most strongly was against Huddersfield, funnily enough.
It was before the game, when we were warming up, I thought to myself ‘I love doing this’ and I felt I belonged in the Premier League.
After a sublime end to 2018 for Diangana, the youngster went on to state what he hopes the second-half of the season wil bring for him.
I just want to keep going. I am enjoying it. I want to establish myself more so that, when people hear or read my name, they have a certain image of me. I want to become that player.
In training, I’ll work hard to develop new good habits which will hopefully bring me a lot of success at any club.
