Vladimir Coufal: West Ham defender needs to ‘cease’ Man Metropolis from successful Premier League title on last day | Soccer Information

West Ham defender Vladimir Coufal has been given an additional incentive to cease Manchester Metropolis from successful the title on Sunday, due to his native cafe’s Arsenal-supporting proprietor.

If the Hammers keep away from defeat at Metropolis and Arsenal beat Everton then the Gunners will win the Premier League title – and Coufal won’t ever have to purchase a espresso once more.

“I’ve been supplied free espresso for the remainder of my life!” Coufal tells Sky Sports activities.

The 31-year-old has been flooded with motivational messages from Arsenal supporters, with some even hoping he can lastly finish his West Ham goalscoring duck this weekend.

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“I’ve many Arsenal followers round me,” he says. “My son is taking part in soccer, so I’ve large Arsenal followers there.

“I obtained some messages from them like, ‘Your first aim within the Premier League is coming!’ and stuff like that. It will be very nice, however we are going to see.”

Coufal and West Ham even have the possibility to assist a former team-mate out, with Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice determined for a favour from his previous membership whom he left final summer season.

“I feel he [Rice] was in contact with the English boys, however he did not textual content me!” he jokes. “He is an Arsenal participant, so he cares about Arsenal and about their efficiency.

“I have never been in contact with anybody at Arsenal, in order that they have their very own struggle and now we have ours.”

In principle, West Ham don’t have anything to play for on the ultimate day of the season after their ninth-placed end was confirmed on Wednesday evening.

However the alternative to be Kingmakers within the vacation spot of the Premier League trophy is a singular one for Coufal, who needs to finish Metropolis’s dominance as they bid for an historic fourth consecutive league title.

“I am actually excited, to be trustworthy,” he says. “I can not wait to see the Premier League trophy for the primary time so I am actually excited, and hopefully it’ll be an excellent sport.

“It is nothing higher than to have an choice to resolve the Premier League title. We’re not contemplating the title, however we will resolve it, in order that’s good.

“It will be an incredible story that West Ham can cancel the Manchester Metropolis hegemony. They are often the primary group to win it 4 instances in a row, so it might be good to cease it.”

The chances, although, of denying Manchester Metropolis are firmly stacked in opposition to the Irons.

Metropolis are unbeaten of their final 16 league video games in opposition to West Ham (W13 D3), whereas the Hammers have misplaced 15 of their 17 league video games on the Etihad Stadium. They’re numbers Coufal is all too conscious of.

“It is in all probability one of many hardest locations to play soccer,” he says. “I do know we do not have a superb document there – I might say a really unhealthy document! However this streak has to complete generally, and why not on Sunday?”

Coufal ‘unhappy’ at Moyes exit

Ending their Man Metropolis hoodoo in David Moyes’ last sport in cost would supply a becoming farewell for the West Ham boss after it was confirmed final week that he’ll depart the membership on the finish of the season.

“We’re so completely satisfied that we gave him [Moyes] a constructive send-off at residence in opposition to Luton, and hopefully we are going to give him the identical at Manchester Metropolis, however it’ll be very, very powerful,” Coufal says.

“He is aware of this greater than us, so it’ll be troublesome. However for every thing he has completed for the membership, the gamers and for me personally, I want to say goodbye in a constructive manner.”

Sending Moyes off in type is of specific significance to Coufal after the Scot signed the right-back from Slavia Prague in October 2020.

“I am so grateful [to Moyes],” says Coufal. “He gave me the possibility to play within the Premier League. He trusted me after I was an unknown participant.

“I am going to always remember that he was my first supervisor within the Premier League. I performed so many video games for him and I attempted to by no means disappoint him.

“It was a really powerful interval, particularly at the start, as a result of I got here from a special type of soccer. I wanted to enhance my defensive positioning, so I had many conferences with him and along with his teaching employees at the start, and it was so useful for me.

“Once I see my defensive positioning now, it is a lot, a lot better.”

Coufal turned certainly one of Moyes’ most reliable gamers, having made 154 appearances in all competitions below him.

The Czech Republic worldwide additionally performed a key half in final 12 months’s Europa Convention League success that noticed Moyes information the Hammers to their first main trophy in 43 years.

It’s no shock that Coufal is disenchanted to see the 61-year-old departing.

“We skilled so many emotional reminiscences,” he says, “and these reminiscences will probably be with me ceaselessly, so in fact I am unhappy in a roundabout way.”

Moyes’ exit comes amid criticism from some West Ham followers over his pragmatic type of play, however Coufal is absolutely supportive of his strategies.

“One factor what he [Moyes] taught me was that everyone cares simply concerning the consequence,” Coufal says. “It would not matter the way you play. If we performed like we play now and we received the title, everybody can be so completely satisfied, no one would criticise us.

“The one factor that issues is simply the consequence. It is so pragmatic, nevertheless it’s true in the long run. Take a look at Actual Madrid this season, how they performed at Manchester Metropolis [in the Champions League quarter-finals], however they bought a consequence and so they went by way of, so it is really easy, nevertheless it’s true.”

Requested whether or not this results-based mentality was the rationale for West Ham’s European success, he replies: “Yeah, precisely. It was simply so pragmatic, however we all know it would not matter how we play. We simply wanted to get a consequence, particularly within the last in opposition to Fiorentina. It was only one sport.

“Perhaps [in the] post-game interview, somebody would care how we performed, somebody would remind you of your stats, however months later we now have a trophy and no one cares how we performed – if we have been the higher group or the more severe group. It would not matter. We received a trophy after 43 years and all people was actually completely satisfied.

“I feel if we received this 12 months’s title or if we bought prime 4 then all people can be actually completely satisfied, and I feel the supervisor would prolong his contract and no one would criticise him.”

Coufal on his future: My precedence is to remain at West Ham

West Ham are anticipated to interchange Moyes with ex-Actual Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui within the hope he can ship a extra thrilling and entertaining model of soccer.

However Coufal is sceptical of these supporters who crave type over substance.

Questioned how powerful it will likely be for whoever replaces Moyes, Coufal replies: “When it comes to the outcomes, for certain.

“It is a very powerful job to take. Perhaps some followers will probably be completely satisfied as a result of we possibly may play extra enticing soccer, however when you do not get a consequence, no one cares the way you play.

“You may maintain the ball 70 per cent of the time, you possibly can create so many alternatives, you possibly can rating some targets nevertheless it’s not assured you will get the consequence with these stats.”

The membership’s change of path will herald a brand new period for West Ham doubtlessly resulting in a summer season of upheaval after 4 and a half years of stability below Moyes.

“It is a very, very unsecure job when you’re a participant and the membership adjustments the supervisor,” admits Coufal. “It is such as you by no means know what can occur. The supervisor can carry numerous gamers he is aware of, after which possibly he want to play with them. You by no means know as a participant.”

He provides: “It should be a really large change, as a result of we knew what to anticipate from him [Moyes]. He knew precisely what to anticipate from us.

“I’m a bit conservative in soccer, so I do not like too many adjustments. I prefer to have my very own routine and figuring out what I can count on. It should be one thing new, and we are going to see what is going on to occur.”

Coufal’s unease on the managerial change coincides with him getting into the final 12 months of his West Ham contract, which expires in the summertime of 2025.

Coufal confirmed there had been “some talks” over a contract extension, however with nothing signed but hypothesis will proceed round his future, which he clearly believes is on the London Stadium.

“My precedence, in fact, is to remain at West Ham,” he admits, “as a result of I really like this membership, I really like the individuals right here and the followers.

“Me and my household, we have actually bought used to London. My son has college right here, and my daughter will begin subsequent 12 months.

“We have made new buddies right here, so my precedence is totally to remain at West Ham, however we are going to see what occurs as a result of I’ve only one extra 12 months.”

If Coufal may also help Arsenal win the title on Sunday then he will probably be much more determined to signal a brand new deal so he can take full benefit of that free espresso at his native cafe.

Watch Man City vs West Ham live on Sky Sports Main Event on Sunday from 3pm; kick-off 4pm.