Struggling West Ham star Tomas Soucek has lifted the lid on what’s been said in private conversations with captain Declan Rice.
A doubting Thomas is essentially a sceptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience.
And there have been plenty at West Ham doubting Tomas, in a literal and figurative sense, of late.
It is understandable because there is no getting away from the fact that Soucek has struggled for form in a West Ham shirt for some time now.
But there is also a feeling that he has become something of a scapegoat for a section section of Hammers fans.
The former Hammer of the Year has – like many of his teammates – been a shadow of his former self for a good while.
And many West Ham fans have been calling for Soucek to be dropped.
The lovable star’s struggles even carried over to international duty with the Czechs as he was substituted and heavily criticised in a 4-0 defeat to Portugal before missing a penalty in a 2-1 loss to Switzerland.
The big man’s heart, desire and attitude can never be questioned, though. And he was crucial in the win over Wolves with many supporters naming him their man of the match.
There is no denying Soucek has struggled in possession as teams look to press him when he has the ball.
And his goal threat has considerably diminished. But so much of that is down to confidence. Soucek may be like a machine but he is human and it is only natural that his dip has affected his self-belief.
No West Ham player made more tackles, interceptions or won more aerial battles than Soucek in the 2-0 win over Wolves.
His partnership with Declan Rice was once labelled the best in the Premier League.
But the dynamic changed last season to allow Rice more freedom to get forward and it impacted Soucek’s game massively.
There are signs that the partnership is improving but the next step is getting Soucek back amongst the goals.
Struggling West Ham star Tomas Soucek lifts the lid on what’s been said in private conversations with captain Declan Rice
And now struggling West Ham star Soucek has lifted the lid on what’s been said in private conversations with captain Rice about their partnership.
“I hope I will play the same as the last two years and help the team,” Soucek said in a typically brilliant interview with West Ham TV.
“This is the most important and I will help the team in the opposition box or our box or in the middle, it doesn’t matter, just wherever the team needs me!
“It’s true that he’s (Rice) always telling me to ‘go there’ or ‘stay there’ (further forward), but another time I can tell him he can go and I stay, and that’s the reason we are together, so one can go and one can stay.
“I hope that I can add a few goals but when we win without my goals, I will also be happy because we are a football team, not individuals.”
It is impossible to dislike Soucek. By rights he should have been given that new deal by West Ham as he had more than earned it. Other less deserving players have been handsomely rewarded with improved contracts by the Hammers down the years after all.
Let’s hope these are the green shoots of recovery, not just for Soucek but his all-important partnership with Rice too.
It is also really encouraging to hear from West Ham players on Rice’s fast developing leadership skills.
Rice is having to mature quickly as West Ham’s captain and to hear he has been encouraging Soucek in private conversations is fantastic.
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