At West Ham, I was shunted around all the different positions. I remember one time I had to play as a striker. I wasn't able to get the biggest clubs interested in me, as when they came to watch me Id been put in a position that was not mine. At least with Hull, I will be certain of playing in my favoured role. - Mohamed Diame, September 2014.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce felt that Mohamed Diame, the man who he had just flogged to Hull City two weeks previously, was undeserving of a regular spot in his starting XI and that is why he needed to go.
He had two seasons with us. I think that his first season was something we expected him to improve on. He didnt quite go as far as we expected from thereon unfortunately. Mo would have continued to play in central midfield had his performances been as his first season with us. In the end, those performances didnt quite live up to the ones he gave us in the early part of his career here. If he wasnt happy with it and hes moved on, then thats fine. - Sam Allardyce, September 2014.
The war of words came to a climax that very evening when Diame capitalised on some slack defending to score against his former employers. It must have been sweet relief for the man who had felt aggrieved for so long. So far he has scored four goals so far for Hull City this season, and has produced some lion-hearted displays from the middle of the park. While West Ham are playing some good stuff themselves, they might just wish they had relented and trusted the Senegal captain with a starting berth in his favoured position on more occasions.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
