Tomas Soucek is dreaming of achieving one thing West Ham haven’t done in 46 years

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Tomas Soucek might have achieved plenty in his West Ham United career but the long-serving Premier League stalwart is not finished yet.

Not by a long chalk.

Soucek has a Premier League record to break, first of all. Should he find the net for a third top-flight match running when West Ham United face AFC Bournemouth after the international break, he will overtake Patrik Berger as the highest-scoring Czech footballer ever to grace the competition.

That, though, is not the only item on Tomas Soucek’s footballing bucket list.

While Soucek is firmly established as a modern-day West Ham icon due to his role in that Europa Conference League-winning campaign and his glut of highly-important goals, the former Slavia Prague captain still has his sights on another, domestic piece of silverware.

Tomas Soucek opens up on his FA Cup dreams at West Ham United

Speaking to the club’s official website, reflecting on his 250th appearance for the Londoners, Soucek admits that ending West Ham’s 46-year wait for FA Cup glory is something he is determined to achieve.

And if Crystal Palace can lift football’s oldest trophy, why not the Hammers?

“I’m happy that West Ham plays in the Premier League and has so many opportunities, and I hope that I still can achieve something we haven’t done already,” the 30-year-old says.

“Now, even in this season, we have the FA Cup, so it’s to put everything in the FA Cup.

“In the league, we want to get out of the relegation zone, because obviously West Ham belongs much higher [in the table], and we want to play in the Premier League. We want to be successful in the Premier League, so this is the time to get out of the relegation zone and then to be ready for the FA Cup, because it’s another chance to be successful this season.”

Jarrod Bowen loved seeing Crystal Palace stun Manchester City

Speaking back in August, captain Jarrod Bowen opened up on his own FA Cup ambitions. One imagines, then, that when the tournament rolls around in January, the Hammers’ senior stars will be imploring Nuno Espirito Santo to take the tournament as seriously as possible.

Of course, extending their recent run of wins and putting a decent buffer between themselves and the relegation zone would allow Nuno the freedom to split his focus between league and cup.

“To see Crystal Palace win it last year and what it means for them as a club and the fans, with the celebrations they had, I really enjoyed seeing it,” Bowen said. “Because it was a moment for them that they might not have expected to happen.

“Obviously, I would love to win the Premier League and play in the Champions League, but something that I’d love to do this season is win the FA Cup!”

Soucek happy with his new centre-forward role under Nuno Espirito Santo

While predecessor Graham Potter seriously thought about cashing in over the summer, Nuno Espirito Santo believes Soucek has so much more to give in a West Ham shirt.

The towering midfielder has even proven himself to be a useful back-up centre-forward in recent weeks, scoring off the bench against both Newcastle and Burnley.

“My form has been good recently, and we’ve won the last two games,” Soucek tells Czech publication Sport. “When something like that happens, the mood is better and I want to bring it [to the international camp] as much as possible.

“I’m excited about the last two games and I’m looking forward to the next games so I can show that form.

“[Against Burnley], I moved up to [the striker] position when Callum Wilson came off. The coach liked it and I’ll play anywhere on the pitch if needed. I’ll be happy to step in as goalkeeper, centre-back, midfielder or forward.

“If it works out, I’ll be happy. Even in the national team, if I play anywhere, I’ll do my best. I want to be an asset to the team, my advantage is that I can understand any position and perform well there.”