KURT ZOUMA is set to play for West Ham against Leicester City on Sunday as the club continues to stand by the defender over his horrific cat-kicking videos.
In a press conference today, manager David Moyes described the French international, 27, as a “really good lad” and said the club is getting “absolute hell”.
Moyes said Zouma is “hoping he is forgiven” and will be given “animal cruelty lessons” by the RSPCA after The Sun revealed a video of him kicking and slapping his cat.
The manager also claimed Zouma is “in hell” after the huge public backlash – which also saw him dropped by a string of sponsors including Adidas.
Zouma was fined £250,000 – two weeks’ wages – for the sickening attack on his pet but was still allowed to play for the Hammers on Tuesday night.
It was believed West Ham had dropped Zouma from the squad but the club had never made an official statement.
But despite describing Zouma’s actions as “diabolical”, Moyes, who claims “no one loves animals more than me”, has again refused to drop the defender.
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The Scot, who says West Ham have done a “very good job” handling the situation, spoke to the media this afternoon ahead of Sunday afternoon’s trip to the King Power.
He said: “Yes he is available to play against Leicester.
“It’s different views and different opinions, should he or not.
“We as a club took the decision to make him available and I stand by that.
“I don’t think the club could have taken more action any quicker than what we have done.
“West Ham have done a very good job. We have fined him maximum wages.”
Moyes continued: “We accept his actions were diabolical, but we have chosen to play him and stand by it.
“It is a terrible incident. We all totally agree. Nobody in this club doesn’t agree with that.
“But with sponsorship being taken away, that’s something the club will deal with, not me.
‘WE ARE ALL TRULY SORRY’
“We are going to get absolute hell. He’s getting hell.
“We are so disappointed. It’s out of character – we have never seen this from Kurt. He is a really good lad. Really surprised by it.
“He is getting help and we are trying to do as much as we can to help him.”
Zouma issued a grovelling apology for the shocking incident, insisting his cats were both ‘perfectly fine and healthy’.
But the felines have now been rescued by the RSCPA after tens of thousands of people lodged complaints with the defender possibly facing prosecution.
The ex-Chelsea man was fined two weeks’ wages, a whopping £250,000, by fourth-placed West Ham.
Moyes added: “In most drink-driving offences, they have to go to classes to learn from it.
“The RSPCA will provide us with some courses to help him understand how to treat animals.
“We will do everything we can to help Kurt get better. As a club, we will do everything we can so that we can resolve it.
“He is being treated the same way as any other player. I have never given preferential treatment in my whole career, over 1000 games.
“Sometimes you have to treat players different, such as young up and coming players and very good senior players, but if it’s regarding disciplinary reasons, everybody is treated exactly the same.
“Nobody is hiding away from it. We are all truly sorry.”
YOAN BAN
Zouma’s brother Yoan, who filmed the incident at the £2million mansion, has been suspended by his club Dagenham & Redbridge until the RSPCA’s investigation is completed.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was quizzed about Zouma’s potential absence during his presser earlier on Friday.
The Foxes chief said: “They’ve got other really good players so we’ll see.
“The system is more or less the same despite whatever personnel and we’ll just prepare for that.
“I don’t know the dressing room, but it looks like David has a really good bunch of guys there.
“They’ve done well this season and it should make for a really good game.”
David Moyes’ comments in full
THE answer to that is yes he’s available to play against Leicester.
It’s different views, different opinions over whether he should be available or not.
We as a club took the decision to say he should be available and we stand by that.
I don’t think the club could have taken more action, any quicker, than what they’ve done.
West Ham have done a really good job in fining him maximum wages.
We all accepted they (his actions) were diabolical. But we’ve chosen to play him and we stand by that.
We are so disappointed it is completely out of character from Kurt he is a really good lad we are going to get him some help and trying to give him as much help as we can.
Like drink driving offences most people have to go to classes and RSPCA are going to provide him with classes and we will do everything we can to make sure Kurt is looking into it and getting better and understanding it.
He is very disappointed and incredibly remorseful and sometimes in life you need forgiveness and he is hoping for that. Many of us through our lives make mistakes.
He is treated the same as any other player I have over 1,000 games and never treated anyone any different sometimes you have to treat young players different.
If it is regarding disciplinary reasons everybody is treated the same.
I’ve never had one (an incident) like this. As a football manager it shows you never know what you’re going to get. That’s part of being in this job. We’d rather we weren’t making news.
West Ham have made really, really good news in the last two years. We have a really good side.
I’m sad the focus has been taken away from what is, at the moment, a really good season.
We musn’t forget all the good work the Club have done in the last couple of years.
We are upset by it and disappointed. I can’t say anymore I am someone who is a great lover of animals and have them.
West Ham fans are disappointed and nobody is more disappointed than me and the club. We are in a good position so we do not want anything to distract that and this has.
We are really sorry it has upset West Ham fans and we want their forgiveness and to forget in time.
Kurt has apologised and out of a bad situation we are hoping to get a positive we hope the animal charities will benefit from it.
I understand the criticism because of how severe the video was.
I understand why people would be disappointed by my, and the clubs decision to play him but I stand by that.
I think it is going to make it stronger, The club has acted brilliantly in a really difficult situation for the club. It is the sort of thing that pulls you together.
Along the road there are plenty of bumps. We’ve hit a big bump and we need to try to get over it.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
