West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal has voiced his frustration over a lack of playing time this season.
The Czech international, who joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in 2020, was a mainstay in the team’s defence for several seasons.
To date, he has made 162 appearances across all competitions and was instrumental in West Ham’s 2023 UEFA Conference League triumph.
However, this campaign has been a different story. Coufal has managed just two starts and five appearances in the Premier League, accumulating only 223 minutes.
His only other starts have come in the EFL Cup, as new manager Julen Lopetegui has favoured summer signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the right-back position.
The former Manchester United defender has already featured ten times in the league, leaving Coufal on the sidelines more often than not.
Coufal on His Frustrations
At 32, Coufal is keen to play regularly while he still can. Currently on international duty, he spoke candidly to Czech media about his situation, though he stressed that there is no animosity between him and Lopetegui.
“When I talked to the coach (Julen Lopetegui), he told me that he was extremely happy with me. That he is convinced that I will get more minutes, more chances and start playing, that I am a great professional,” Coufal said (via Sport Witness).
“I can’t say a bad word against the coach, or he has against me, it’s just that we don’t have a good time on the pitch yet. If it should continue like this, we have to sit down and see what to do next. I definitely don’t want to sit on the bench, I still feel like I can play in the Premier League.”
For now, Coufal’s focus is on international duty, with the Czech Republic set to face Albania and Georgia in the UEFA Nations League during the current break. Whether he regains his starting role at West Ham remains to be seen.