da wazamba： Dimitri Payet has fallen from a hero of all things claret and blue to an enemy of the club and its fans. From icon of France’s run to the final of the European Championships to a patchy, sulking Premier League winger in a matter of half a year. A fall from grace almost impressive in its abrupt nature, Payet is on strike despite signing a new deal with West Ham recently. Slaven Bilic was openly hurt by the Frenchman’s actions as he delivered an emotive announcement of the situation during his press conference on Thursday.
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He arrived in London at the beginning of last season as a well-known, gifted attacking player who all too often failed to produce on a consistent basis. While he had enjoyed periods of great form and success at other clubs during his career, his first season at West Ham was the best by an almighty distance. That season elevated Payet into the stratosphere as a footballer, it took him to a level where his talent has always belonged, but he finally had cobbled together the performances to become the complete package.
His spell at West Ham carried him from an occasional feature for the French national team to one of the stars. At last summer’s tournament, Payet outshone Paul Pogba as he heroically turned games single-handedly with dazzling skill and a penchant for spectacular strikes. Payet looked every bit one of the world’s best players and moves across Europe were rumoured. He did not leave West Ham at that juncture, though, he stayed.
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But – as the cliché goes – all good things come to an end. Dimitri Payet’s time as a happy footballer at West Ham was not only a good thing for the Irons, it was a gift to the Premier League. Few players in world football are quite as exciting to watch as Payet is at his best, mixing extreme technical ability with a mind clearly focused on pulling things off that others would not even consider. Everything seemed to be bubbling along so perfectly for West Ham during the summer, now Payet’s refusal to play for the club is a symbol of how it has gone so very wrong this season.
What West Ham can take as a positive out of this whole episode, is that this is not out of character for Payet or his team of advisors. Forcing a move away from a club is somewhat of a habit for the former Lille man and, while West Ham will do all they can to keep him at the club, his flaky attitude is not exactly the gravest loss.
Payet wanted more than admiration and love. He wants something else, whether that be an extra boost to his pension or a chance to play European football once again, his head has been turned and it’s all but impossible to see a way back for him at the London Stadium. Footballers are foolish, almost intrinsically. They will claim they love a club, love the fans and never want to leave, but so often it comes back to bite them. Payet did love playing for West Ham at one point, that’s for sure, but he’s on the lookout for something else in his career now.
Ultimately, as much as football can be romanticized, footballers have to make the most out of their careers. Whether that be maximising their earnings or making unpopular decisions for on-field motivation, a lot of players never have any real ties to the clubs they are playing at. While his recent behaviour has hurt West Ham, the Irons will benefit from the removal of a player with such an attitude and it’s his call, really.
There may be days in the future where Payet wonders why he threw the unconditional love of the West Ham faithful away. There may even be a time where he apologises to Slaven Bilic for his actions. In fact, this might all blow over once the transfer window ends. Whatever happens, though, Payet is no petulant child, he is just another reminder that football is a career choice for today’s stars.
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