Sean’s exclusive earlier today seems very good news on the face of it for West Ham United: The FA disciplinary hearing scheduled for March has now been put back until after the 24/5 season finishes. Lucas Paquetá, of course, has always professed his innocence of all the charges made against him.
West Ham management, players and supporters will hope the player can be focussed more on the events on the pitch: Maybe indeed the news had already been broken inside the Paquetá camp on Tuesday night as the Brazilian was much more himself, both more energetic and committed from first to last minute on the pitch. I haven’t seen him chase and close down players as he did in that second half against Fulham, since 2023/4.
Roshane Thomas in the nytimes.com/athletic concurred:”Lucas Paqueta looks revitalised under Graham Potter at West Ham – and he’s not the only one!”
The second half of the season suddenly look more inviting for West Ham with a resurgent Paquetá shining more brightly, especially under Potter’s guidance.
Best not to speculate on the reasons for the deferral of his hearing. And probably readers of C and H should not, either.
Quite how Paquetá must be feeling at this further delay though, who knows.
Human nature is such that the first move for any of us in this situation would surely be to wish to clear our names from such allegations, so any further delay may well be upsetting for Paquetá himself in his quest to prove his innocence.I cannot imagine being under such public scrutiny and conjecture as he has to endure – but dealing with such stress every day for what will be well over a year would certainly upset me.
Selfishly, as fans we are glad because it would seem that Paquetá can complete his season of games at West Ham without this FA hearing looming before May. For the player, although he tries to keep it hidden, another delay must be exhausting. Don’t forget this whilst outwardly we look forward to our somewhat tarnished Hammer regaining his shine this season.
