How West Ham could do with a prime Dimitri Payet right now as the Hammers battle to survive 10 years on from the season he lit up the Premier League.
Manifesting, conjuring, prophesying, speaking into existence – call it what you want when talking about the Law of Attraction, but Hammers fans may now be witnessing it.
Some clubs make idols of players and managers before a ball has even been kicked in anger.
Nothing wrong with that of course, it can only help someone feel welcome and loved.
But no matter who you are and what you have done before, you very much have to earn your stripes to be a West Ham hero.
Stars have to earn hero worship at West Ham
It takes some players a decade or more to be regarded Hammers legends but, even then, it is often open to debate as Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio prove.
A certain mercurial Frenchman by the name Dimitri Payet earned his hero worship more quickly than most – or perhaps any – West Ham player in Premier League history alongside Paolo Di Canio.
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Within a couple of months of arriving in east London back in 2015, Payet was already the team’s talisman as he cast his spell on not just West Ham but the entire league.
At Selhurst Park on October 17 2015 West Ham supporters sung a now famous song about Payet for the first time en masse.
Fans barely stopped singing it long enough to come up for air thereafter.
A star had been born at West Ham, the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Carlos Tevez and Di Canio.
All ships rose with the tide that was Payet that season.
To the tune of Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus, the West Ham faithful sang: “We’ve got Payet, Dimitri Payet! I just don’t think you understand. He’s Super Slav’s man, he’s better than Zidane. We’ve got Dimitri Payet!”
Just reading the chant is enough to give West Ham supporters a warm, fuzzy glow, remembering days when it felt like we could and would win every game we played.
The team felt unbeatable at ties when Payet was playing at his unplayable best, as he was more often than not in that first season.
Famous West Ham chant about Payet and Zidane becomes reality
The fact he went on to receive a Ballon D’Or nomination after his debut season sums up just how much Payet took West Ham and the Premier League by storm.
A man who knows about winning one of those is mentioned in that legendary Hammers chant of course – Zinedine Zidane.
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One of the greatest players of all-time, Zidane’s inclusion in the Payet chant made the obvious French connection while being the ultimate compliment for the West Ham star.
Now the famous West Ham chant about Payet and Zidane has become a reality 10 years on.
Zidane was one of the most elegant and skilful footballers ever to grace the beautiful game.
Payet idolised Zidane as a young man and like his hero he too played the kind of football supporters want to see.
Given 52-year-old Zidane is 14 years older than Payet and retired nearly 20 years ago, it seemed unlikely – if not impossible – the pair would ever share a pitch to test the theory of that West Ham chant.
Until now.
Another law of attraction is about ‘putting something out in the universe’.
Well West Ham fans did that with the Payet and Zidane chant and the universe has responded.
At least the Universe League has.
Zidane was the star attraction as a host of legends played in the small-sided tournament in Marseille.
Joining him on the pitch was former Hammers star Payet.
There was a bitter ending to Payet’s West Ham story when he suddenly demanded to leave 18 months into his Hammers career.
The club’s owners broke promises over their stated ambitions over signings when they left West Ham’s beloved Upton Park for the London Stadium.
Payet was fed up and family issues meant he pushed for a return to Marseille.
Payet and Zidane link up is just how you imagine it would be
Time has been a great healer when it comes to Payet – because West Ham fans now appreciate even more just what a rare and exciting talent he was.
He still has some of the old magic too as Payet combined with Zidane to score a wonderful goal.
Zidane made Adidas boots famous the world over during his peak.
The sportswear giant posted a video of Zidane’s sumptuous control and assist for Payet on social media.
The former West Ham man is put through but still produces some mean skill to sit the goalkeeper on his backside before firing home.
West Ham fans will be tempted to sing the song one more time when they see the footage.
They will also be hoping it is not too much longer until a West Ham player earns his own new chant for mesmeric, match-winning performances like Payet once did.
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