Two hours after full time, and on a packed South Western Railway train heading to London Waterloo from Kew Bridge station, a West Ham United supporter posed a question to his group of friends.
“Why does Tomas Soucek get so much stick from fans? He always steps up when we need him,” the supporter was overheard by The Athletic saying. Why does the midfielder divide opinion despite his impressive goalscoring record? There have been many occasions Soucek has bailed West Ham United out of tough situations. His equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Brentford can be added to that list.
He may not be the club’s most technically gifted player, but Soucek has mastered the art of scoring in big moments. It is why former West Ham manager David Moyes likened his playing style to Marouane Fellaini, the ex-Everton and Manchester United midfielder. When head coach Julen Lopetegui needed someone to step up, it was Soucek.
The 29-year-old midfielder was given a special ovation from those in the away enclosure at Brentford. They chorused his name throughout the game and Soucek gave his jersey to a young fan after the match. The Czech Republic international felt the love.
“When the fans sang my song, I know I have a great connection,” Soucek told Premier League Productions. “In the last few weeks, in my country, the media said the West Ham fans did not like me. I don’t think that could actually be further from the truth. I love this club, it means so much to me.”
Soucek’s penchant for proving people wrong stems from his childhood. He grew up in the small town of Havlickuv Brod with a population of just 23,000. When he and his friends played football, he was never considered one of the best. He mainly played to make up numbers. Even when he progressed to Slavia Prague’s academy aged 10, he was not viewed as a promising prospect. There were concerns over his lack of movement and decision-making.
Those doubts, which still persist, have not affected Soucek. Through his determination, he made more than 150 appearances for Slavia. His love for West Ham runs deep, with his wife, Natalia, and two daughters settled in London. There was a point when Soucek, his wife and eldest daughter Tereza had to move because supporters kept turning up at Soucek’s property hoping to get a photo.
The criticism aimed at Soucek often comes from social media. But the midfielder’s willingness to go the extra mile is what sets him apart from others. He hired an English tutor before joining West Ham so the language barrier would not be an issue. He trains at Rush Green on his days off.
As he proved under Moyes, Soucek will repay the trust put in him under Lopetegui. It did not work when the head coach played the midfielder as a No 10 in the 1-1 draw at Fulham. But you could understand the logic, given Soucek’s ability to score when he is further upfield. There is one area of Soucek’s game that has impressed Lopetegui.
“Tomas was, as always, working for the team,” the head coach told West Ham’s website. “In the Premier League, you have to play always with 11 players fighting for the team, having this kind of a high work rate. I am happy for him because you need this kind of player to show the way.”
Soucek has registered 34 goals in 215 appearances since joining in January 2020. He has had many defining moments over the years, including winners against Fulham in 2020, Everton in 2021, Nottingham Forest, Burnley and TSC Backa Topola in 2023 and Everton in March 2024.
His equaliser against Brentford has helped ease pressure on Lopetegui, who has seen West Ham win five points from his opening six games. Soucek is hopeful they will learn from their mistakes last Saturday.
“It’s very important (the point) but we have to be ashamed of the goal we conceded in the first minute,” Soucek told The Athletic.
“They’ve done it three times in a row and we had to chase the game after. But in the second half, we showed character and that is how we have to be in every game no matter what. It is true (that I have scored in big moments) and maybe one day I should score the goal that makes it 3-0, 4-0 in a more relaxed situation.
“But it’s even more important so I’m happy for that because, if we are winning 2-1 or 3-1, my main focus is get in good positions and play further forward, especially if we are under pressure. We have one week to go before the international break and it’s important for us to get three points against Ipswich Town. I’m happy for the goal but next week is important.”
This is a transitional season for West Ham and several players will have to step up. But you can be sure it will not be long before Soucek is wheeling away in celebration again having rescued his side for the umpteenth time.
(Top photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
