Ending associations with players who have become part of the fabric of West Ham is never going to be easy – especially when a whole host of them come at the same time: There’s almost a sense of loss as familiar faces like Lucas Fabianski, [Vladimir Coufal](https://www.claretandhugh.info/double-exit-coufal-and-soucek-set-for-exit-as-solid-bid-made/), Aaron Cresswell, Danny Ings, Kurt Zouma and -probably – Michail Antonio end their contracts and leave. Many contributors to Claret and Hugh’s ‘comments’ section suggest that Cresswell and Coufal deserve another year at least: Sometimes sentimentality and football don’t go hand in hand.
The surprisingly sensitive release yesterday concerning Michail Antonio shows West Ham are _not all about_ cold hard business – the West Ham statement _“As a long-serving, highly-respected player, and a much-loved member of the West Ham family, the Club’s absolute priority at this time is to support Michail personally in his journey to resume playing at the highest level”_ Does suggest a level of humanity exists even within Premier League big business football.
The Coufal decision, however, appears to have been spot on: If yesterday’s poor international performance – which was absolutely slated – is anything to go by, new potential suitors for full-back Vladimir Coufal will be fast reconsidering.
[Leeds United News](https://www.leedsunited.news/transfers/leeds-united-must-think-twice-about-west-hams-vladimir-coufal-as-huge-problems-emerge/) pull no punches in suggesting the Hammers were spot on to call ‘time’ on Coufals claret and blue career:
_“Leeds United must think twice about West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal as ‘huge problems’ emerge”-_ ran their article: “_The right-back had a nightmare against the likes of Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric…Coufal had huge problems in the first half..He had a hard time keeping up with the agile Croatians”_
All of which vindicates the West Ham decision to release Coufal: It is something we have watched for over a season as Coufal has struggled defensively. At thirty two, his pace is fading and without that, he can be a liability. As his national side have now found to their cost as they were routed 5-1 by Croatia.