RUNNING DEEP into a Czech forest behind his marathon-loving mother, Tomas Soucek dreamt of one day stretching his legs across a Premier League pitch.
He is now doing just that for West Ham, and then some – this season alone he has already averaged 12.2km in each of their first five league games.
Soucek’s ability to run and run and run was forged in his childhood
The West Ham midfielder says he got his stamina running to keep up with his mum
Soucek will be dreaming of winning silverware with the Irons now
Since joining on loan from Slavia Prague on January deadline day, and then permanently this summer for £20m, the 25-year-old midfielder is gaining a reputation for covering ground like no other in the division.
The reason lies deep within a childhood, set in a small Czech town of just 10,000 people; one which saw hardship, sacrifice and running – lots and lots of running.
He explained: “My mother Iva used to play handball but for the last 15 years she has been running half marathons and marathons.
“Sometimes when I was younger I went with her to the forest. Even when I was in pre-season I would go with her to run there, for fun. That’s where my stamina comes from.”
He then surprisingly admits: “I have never done a marathon myself. I don’t like too many kilometres in a row at the same intensity. But maybe I will do one after my career.”
It’s no surprise then that when Covid-19 forced the country into national lockdown in March, Soucek, his wife Natalie and two-year-old daughter Tereza sought comfort in a foreign country in the only way they knew how.
He said: “We went to Hackney Marshes. It was incredible for me. We trained there and prepared for the season.
“I took a ball and some cones. My wife was sometimes giving me the ball and then I would go for a run. I went there regularly for about two months. People would see me and do the Hammers crossed-arm sign.”
Soucek and wife Natalia, plus their young daughter, have been loving life in London
Soucek said he had an ‘incredible’ experience at Hackney MarshesCredit: Reuters
That desire to constantly be active was born from a sporting family; his father Frantisek — a bathroom company manager — was his first football coach and a former goalkeeper. His auntie also played football.
He laughed: “The first option when I was born was for me to play football. When I could go outside, at lunch, dinner, everywhere I went, I would ask if I could take the ball with me.
“I would watch the Premier League and Champions League with my father. I used to like players in a similar position to me, like Yaya Toure. I told him it was my dream to play in England.”
That obsession – starting with his hometown side of FC Havlickuv Brod – brought its own set of challenges, and soon a family of runners were running out of breath making ends meet: “When I was 10 a Slavia Prague coach scouted me but the training was 120km from home.
“The next four or five years we went to Prague by car four or five times a week. That was very tough on my family.
“They would have to change work days when they could. It was hard on their time and their money.
“It’s why when I started to play in the Czech professional league I wanted to show that I was very happy with what they did for me and I want to do everything for them the best I can.”
The towering midfielder has turned into a vital part of West Ham’s teamCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
That humbleness and gratitude has never left Soucek, even when he hit the heights of European football with Slavia Prague.
He said: “When I was young I had many pictures of my heroes on my walls at my parents house.
“When I played in Europe I then met a lot of the players who were on my wall and I like to change shirts with them – when I played and scored against Chelsea in 2019 I got Olivier Giroud’s after meeting him in the doping test after the game.
“I want in time to have a small museum in my parents’ house. For now, it is just nice for me to play against top players. But now, I also want to be better than they are.”
‘I want to be better than the top players’
It is a drive and determination that can only be good for West Ham’s never-ending search for the return of the good times under David Moyes, and Soucek feels it is closer than people think.
A positive result against Manchester City would go some way to turning the doubters into believers in east London.
He said: “In pre-season we talked together and said we are a very strong team and we want to fight with everyone. We showed our spirit and belief against Tottenham.
“Our ambition is to be much stronger than last season. I think we will be better in the future.”
For Soucek, this season really is a marathon, and not a sprint – just the way he likes it.
West Ham boss Moyes confirms Tomas Soucek transfer
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
