- Vladimír Coufal has slammed the club for their current position in the Premier League relegation battle
- West Ham United are in the Premier League relegation zone
- Coufal was part of West Ham’s 2023 Conference League-winning team
Former West Ham United player Vladimír Coufal has slammed the club for their current position in the Premier League relegation battle. Coufal, an adored member of West Ham’s 2023 Conference League-winning team, left the club last summer, joining Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a free transfer.
Since the 33-year-old Czech international’s departure, the Hammers have lurched towards the Premier League basement to the point that if Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are unable to collect three points from their last two matches, they are all but relegated to the second division for the first time in 15 years.
Vladimír Coufal questions West Ham’s thinking post-David Moyes
During his five-year stay, Coufal was a crucial part of then-West Ham boss David Moyes’ tenure at the club, which yielded European triumph as well as domestic stability.
In a two-part interview released by capitalfootball.co.uk following Hoffenheim’s 1-0 win over Werder Bremen last weekend, Coufal pulled the curtain on West Ham’s unending downfall, pointing to the club’s misconception as a major contributing factor.
“I am not part of the board, I wasn’t deciding about the incoming players and everything,” started Coufal.
“But in my last season under David Moyes there, we were ninth I think and we were safe about relegation. I think we played until the last moment for the Europe football.
“But after that, they wanted something different… they wanted to play attractive football like Man City, scoring a lot of goals, and it always hits you back.
“Be careful what you wish for.”
Coufal also bemoaned the absence of appropriate leaders and an English core at the club. In his final season, the Hammers appointed former Chelsea and Brighton coach Graham Potter before dismissing the Englishman a few months into the current campaign.
“It’s not absolutely a question for me,” Coufal said when asked about whether the club’s direction post-David Moyes was a mistake.
“I was focused on the changing room, on the boys.
“We were a few leaders in the changing room, and they were all gone after Graham Potter took the lead. That was the biggest problem!
“I am not saying it was because of me, Cres [Aaron Cresswell], Michail Antonio, Danny Ings or other players [leaving]. But I think in English clubs you need most of the time an English environment a bit.
“And when you have a lot of foreign players which make up the group of players… it’s not always together.”
Coufal confirms dressing room uplift under Nuno Espírito Santo
Coufal would confirm that the dressing room has seen an uplift in mood under Nuno, according to current players.
“I have messages now that the changing room absolutely changed since Nuno Espírito Santo took the lead. It’s much, much better.
“The boys are together again and everything is going really well.
“The atmosphere is very positive and I hope that they will show it in the upcoming games.
On his current feelings about West Ham: “I miss West Ham a lot, I am following every game when I can, and obviously I am a big fan of West Ham now, and I really hope that they will survive this season.”
