Our favourite potato salad eating Czech, Tomas Soucek has been talking to the official West Ham site about his return to training.
Tomas may not have had the greatest season last term and there are questions about his future at the moment.
It has been reported here and elsewhere that he is looking for an improved deal which currently is not forthcoming from the club.
With a year left on his current deal which has a year’s option attached, the Czech Republic star will be looking to receive that deal before allegedly agreeing to stay with the club.
He is something of an action man off the pitch and admits that sitting on sofas is not for him so despite the contract situation he is delighted to be back in training and is ready for his first game of the season at Dagenham and Redbridge this afternoon.
He said: “It’s been great to be back .My holiday was so nice and I enjoyed the time with my family and friends, and I also got a really good rest after we won the trophy in Prague.
“But, even during the days off, I’m still doing something. I like playing tennis and doing other sports, so even when we’re having our holidays I have to be doing something. I can’t just spend our three weeks off on the sofa!
“I want to be fit all the time and it’s better for me that, when I come back in for pre-season, I’ve kept some of the work up and I’m feeling ready to get on with it and be ready for the season.
“The last few days of the holiday, I was looking forward to coming back and seeing all the guys and getting the fitness going again. I like doing the work and being around here, so it’s been a good first week back in.”
I was looking forward to coming back and seeing all the guys and getting the fitness going again. I like doing the work and being around here, so it’s been a good first week back in.
“It’s only been a few of the guys here for most of this week, with everyone else in Australia,” he continued. “It has been a bit different, and it’s felt a bit quieter and more relaxed in that way, but we’ve done good work out on the pitch.
“It’s been good, intense training this week for our group and that will continue when we get back together on Monday.”
After a week of training, Souček is very keen to get back out there and start playing again
He added “I’m looking forward to getting back on the pitch. The last games I played were internationals and it has been a few weeks since those, and we need the match minutes in our legs to set us up for the new season.
“Saturday against Dagenham is my first opportunity to get some minutes under my belt and I’m looking forward to that.”