“I am just trying to enjoy my career. It is going quick already. I think of three years ago, when I won Young Player of the Year, it has flown by since. There have been so many good moments. Hopefully, my career can keep progressing and WE can start adding some big trophies as well.”
So said Hammers in demand central midfielder Declan Rice who has been hailed as the best in Europe and possibly the World! Rice along with his manager David Moyes picked up a gong at the London football awards, recognition of the superb progress the player, his manager and their team have made in the last 18 months.
West Ham have endured a torrid spell ever since the last International break, results have not been good but they haven't been good either for Hammers Champions League chasing competitors either. Every time it looks as if hopes of a champions league slot have disappeared, the clubs around West Ham, particularly Tottingham and Manchester United conspire in failing to take advantage.
Obviously the luck will run out at some time and a daunting visit to Anfied this afternoon will not fill fans with anticipation of anything other than a resounding defeat, but stranger things have happened in the past!
The Press love 'deciding' which club Declan Rice will join, completely omitting to mention the fact that Rice has two years remaining on his contract AND the club have an option to extend by a further year. The 'WE' Declan was referring to wasn't about Chelsea, Man City or their poorer neighbours, it was about WEST HAM UNITED.
There will be plenty of time for analysis and conjecture come the end of the season, but right now the players focus is on the club finishing as high as possible in the Premier League and to try and progress in the Europa League Cup, the winners of the trophy of course directly qualify for the Champions League.
No one gives Hammers a prayer for a positive result against Jurgen Kloppp's Liverpool, but the players who take to the field will NOT be intimidated by the 'Anfield roar', after all they are used to playing week in week out in front of a far bigger crowd at the Stratford Stadium.
Including today's game, there are 11 Premier League games left to play against Villa, Tottingham, Everton, Brentford, Burnley, Chelsea, Arsenal, Norwich, Man City and Brighton. The games against London rivals Arsenal and Tottingham will be pivotal as to the club's fortunes, hopefully they won't fade and die. - LN
