It’s official West Ham United striker Sebastien Haller DOES smile.
West Ham debate rages over swapping Haller for David Moyes target in January
Some West Ham fans and even Hammers boss David Moyes have been critical of Haller for the lack of emotion he shows on the pitch.
The £45million forward splits the West Ham fanbase down the middle. Some label him workshy and simply not good enough to adapt to the Premier League.
Others point out that he has been misused by West Ham ever since signing from Eintracht Frankfurt nearly 18 months ago.
Moyes challenges Haller to ‘smile more’
Haller has previously said in interviews that he prefers to stay cool and calm on the pitch and that only his family brings out his true emotions (Bundesliga YouTube).
But Moyes has challenged Haller to ‘smile more’ (Evening Standard).
“I think his demeanour at times, and I’ve said to him many times, a smile now and again, maybe I’m not the best one to be saying that, but a smile now and again makes a big difference,” Moyes told The Evening Standard.
“We enjoy him, he’s a good guy to be around, his work has been very good. So I hope we can get it, get the best from him, but also we need him to be motivated.
“If you’ve ever had the chance to look at his goals for Eintracht Frankfurt, he’s very similar, celebrating in the same manner, doesn’t always smile. Sometimes does, sometimes doesn’t, so I don’t think we’re seeing anything different to what the man was before he came, so it’s not as if he’s any different.
“But the game we play, if you’re fortunate enough to be a goalscorer it’s probably the big moment where you normally see a really good reaction from people who score goals, and excitement in many ways.”
The happy side of Haller as Hammers striker does initiation jig with Ivory Coast
Well Haller was certainly smiling when he joined up with the Ivory Coast squad for the first time this week after switching allegiance from France.
A short video clip has emerged on social media from one of the squad showing Haller doing an initiation dance with his Ivory Coast teammates cheering him on.
Anyone that has watched the Bundesliga YouTube video on Haller’s career will understand the West Ham striker’s lack of emotion on the pitch is nothing new.
Too much being made of Haller attitude but a bit more passion could help his cause
Too much has been made of that side of things during his struggle for game time and goals.
But Moyes is right. It wouldn’t hurt for Haller to throw himself into his football a bit more wholeheartedly.
He is a powerful presence and sometimes it looks like he does not use that to his full advantage.
Throw a bit more emotion and passion into the mix and it just might help.
But what he really needs is a couple of goals to kickstart his Hammers career.
And he needs to find them soon before Moyes calls time on it, possibly as early as January.
Mark Noble speaks out on West Ham’s season so far and warns against complacency
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