---
title: "Vladimir Coufal hails impact of ‘best friend’ Tomas Soucek"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2021/02/15/vladimir-coufal-hails-impact-of-tomas-soucek-west-ham/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "West Ham News"
published: "2021-02-15T15:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-02-15T15:00:00Z"
---

# Vladimir Coufal hails impact of ‘best friend’ Tomas Soucek

[West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2021/02/15/report-west-ham-still-interested-in-ahmed-musa/) full-back [Vladimir Coufal](https://readwestham.com/2021/02/04/irons-fans-praise-vladimir-coufal-aston-villa/) has sung the praises of Irons team-mate and Czech Republic compatriot [Tomas Soucek](https://readwestham.com/2021/02/12/manchester-united-keeping-tabs-on-tomas-soucek/).

[Signed in October](https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2020/october/02-october/west-ham-united-sign-czech-republic-international-vladimir) from Slavia Prague, following in the [footsteps of his Czech colleague](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11685/12035297/west-ham-sign-tomas-soucek-from-slavia-prague-on-four-year-deal), Coufal has proven to be an astute signing for the Hammers.

The 28-year-old admitted that he has his ”best friend” to thank for his [impressive start to life](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/29/Show/England-West-Ham) in east London and told tonight’s [match programme](https://www.westhamprogrammes.co.uk/product/west-ham-united-v-sheffield-united-15-02-21-including-uk-postage-4-99) (via [Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/west-ham-fc-news-tomas-soucek-vladmir-coufal-b919799.html)) how Soucek helped him settle whilst praising the midfielder, who has emerged as a [recent transfer target for Manchester United](https://www.footballinsider247.com/man-united-keep-tabs-on-west-ham-soucek/):

> Soucek is my best friend in the Czech Republic so he has been very, very helpful to me since I arrived at West Ham, and I’m very grateful to him. I have known him for a long time, so I know he can still get better and better because his physical attributes are unbelievable.
>
> I have to say it’s hard to defend against a player like him and I hope he will stay here for a long time.

Coufal also proclaimed that, should the Irons finish the season in their current position of sixth position, it would be a ”crazy and unbelievable” achievement, and one which has a [strong chance of yielding Europa League football](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/tabelle/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/2020) next term.

### READ WEST HAM VERDICT

The Czech duo have [both impressed hugely](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/29/Show/England-West-Ham) since arriving at the London Stadium in 2020. Coufal’s impact may be more understated than that of Soucek as he isn’t the [towering presence scoring a litany of crucial goals](https://www.teamtalk.com/news/tomas-soucek-dramatic-winner-everton-west-ham).

However, the defender signed for just [£5m in October](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/oct/02/west-ham-sign-vladimir-coufal-from-slavia-prague-5m-transfer-news) has been no less important to West Ham’s fine season so far, and his three assists in [19 Premier League appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/vladimir-coufal/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/157672/wettbewerb/GB1/saison/2020/verein/379) to date further prove his worth.

Hopefully the Irons faithful will get to see plenty more of the Czech duo doing what they do best in the claret and blue.