Lucas Paqueta has proved an age-old West Ham saying right after receiving fierce criticism since pushing to leave for a return to Brazil in January.
It has not been lost on West Ham fans that their resurgence has coincided with two major events – the arrival of Paco Jemez and the departure of Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazilian effectively downed tools to force a return to his boyhood club Flamengo – just when West Ham needed him most.
When he was pushing to leave, the Hammers were cut adrift in the Premier League relegation zone and were looking like certainties for the drop.
Paqueta proves age-old West Ham saying right
Since then, though, Nuno Espirito Santo’s boys have turned things around, closing a seven-point gap on Nottingham Forest and pulling within a point of Spurs and three of Leeds.
Paqueta was understandably accused of abandoning West Ham.
Kante has just given Nuno something to think about! 🇫🇷
What did you make of his performance?
Fans felt betrayed given how they, the club and Paqueta’s teammates stood by him during his two-year spot-fixing case ordeal.
A number of leading Hammers stars have said the team spirit has markedly improved over the last few months.
Some supporters feel Paqueta’s exit has resulted in improved harmony in the dressing room.
Indeed many Hammers fans have revelled in the fact Paqueta has endured a difficult start to life back at Flamengo.
The latest bump in the road being the fact Filipe Luis, the manager Paqueta reportedly held regular secret calls with in order to push through his West Ham exit, has been sacked already.
Now, though, the man who set up the goal which won West Ham’s only major trophy of the last 46 years has looked to build bridges with the fans who used to adore him.
In doing so Paqueta has proved an age-old West Ham saying right after fierce criticism of his actions in pushing to leave the club during a relegation battle.
After fierce criticism, Paqueta proves ‘Once a Hammer, always a Hammer’ right
When West Ham’s record £51m signing left he posted a video explaining he needed to go home to his people for his mental health and the sake of his family.
Paqueta laid the blame squarely at the door of the FA for subjecting him to two years of accusations, investigations and the prolonged hearing which ultimately cleared him of spot-fixing.
Serious question – are you taking a peak Mateus Fernandes or a peak Lucas Paqueta in your dream midfield?!
Most Hammers fans understand Paqueta’s reasons for wanting to leave. Although many argue it would not have killed him to stay four more months to help West Ham try and stay up.
Despite everything, though, Paqueta has shown the saying ‘Once a Hammer, always a Hammer’ really is true.
Paqueta took to his Instagram Stories on Monday night to post a video of himself watching West Ham’s FA Cup fifth round win over Brentford.
The former Hammer is watching the game on his big screen TV as Bowen wheels away in celebration.
Paqueta captioned the post COYI with a heart and Hammers emojis and tagged in Bowen with flame and heart emojis.
He also had the ‘Bowen’s on fire’ chant playing as the music for the post, which you can see below.
This is great to see from Paqueta and proves he does, deep down, care about the club.
Some things are more important than football and family is one of them.
And like Dimitri Payet and Craig Dawson before him, family circumstances dictated that Paqueta had to leave.
Seeing this from the Brazilian warms the cockles.
Just like seeing Declan Rice regularly celebrating his former club, as he did when the Hammers beat Fulham last week.
It shows the saying ‘Once a Hammer, always a Hammer’ really does ring true, even in the modern football world where loyalty feels increasingly rare.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
