Manuel Lanzini opens up about West Ham and Premier League return
By Adam Smith
With the Premier League pushing for a return as soon as possible, West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini has stepped up as a critic of the plan despite his desire to return to the sport he loves.
It was very clear from the start, West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini is concerned for his family and other players’ safety when it comes to a Premier League restart this season. In speaking with Argentian radio station Radio Continental, Lanzini expressed his concern over restarting play while COVID-19 still has no vaccine.
Fair play to Lanzini who expressed his personal concerns for his family and teammates in his interview, unlike Sergio Aguero who spoke for the whole of the Premier League, incorrectly. Lanzini’s concerns are real, however, and with the fragility of a Premier League return while no vaccine exists this could be a lesson in futility.
"‘If you ask me if I want to play, obviously, but you need to protect others. I wouldn’t start now.’"
Coronavirus aside, it is great seeing Lanzini wanting to be back on the pitch as expressed in this quote. After his return from his horrific knee injury, Lanzini has looked slower, less sharp, and more like a passenger in the Hammers team, where he used to direct and lead the attack.
Mental recovery from an injury like Lanzini’s is difficult to gauge, however a desire to get back on the pitch with a built-in reason to avoid it like this global pandemic able to be used is a great start for the Argentinian playmaker.
Lanzini also offered up the plans for West Ham’s return to training amidst the belief from the West Ham board that the Premier League will return.
"[On Tuesday] we have to do some studies because they believe the league will return. Next week we would train [in groups of] five and in two weeks, the whole group.’"
The progressive return to group training is a measured step few wouldn’t support. With another week given for off-pitch preparation then the step up to a two-week training program in groups of five is seemingly responsible on the club’s end.
As well, the importance of David Moyes adding Paul Nevin to his backroom staff will likely be a fruitful investment. Nevin has immense experience coaching younger players across the world at the highest levels with a focus on the modern changes to football.
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Full training is still over two weeks away and if the players and clubs take the steps seriously, there is no reason to believe football can’t return this season. Whether that is the right decision or not is completely unknown right now, but Lanzini is justified in his cautious tentativeness with family and safety on his mind.