West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that he told Robert Snodgrass to lose weight if he wanted any chance of getting back into the first team squad.
The Chilean told Snodgrass that his number one priority was to lose weight over the summer, and that the effort he had put into making that happen has resulted him in remaining at the London Stadium.
The Scottish attacker was loaned out to Aston Villa last season, helping them get to the Championship play-off final with his eight goals in 43 games – and his hard work this season has allowed him to get back into the Irons’ first team fold once again.
He told football.london: “He told me what happened last season, I know also he was an important player at Aston Villa, but I when I spoke with him I told him that if he has any chance to play he must reduce his weight, his fat.
“So when I saw him working so hard in pre-season I was absolutely sure he wanted to stay here and that he was going to fight to have a place in the squad. He did it and he is deserving what he is living in this moment.”
OPINION
What Pellegrini said to Snodgrass may come across as harsh to many people, but it is obvious that he had the player’s best interests at heart. He did not tell him he was too fat just because he wanted to offend him – he told him so he could have the best possible chance of regaining a place in the first team squad. As a result of Pellegrini’s order, Snodgrass has worked extremely hard, and as a result, has earned himself much more regular playing time. He may not be the first name on the teamsheet, but Pellegrini has resorted to using him as an impact substitute, and most of the time, he does make a positive contribution on the game. However, seeming as summer signing Andriy Yarmolenko is now sidelined for a long time, Snodgrass may now find himself in the first team a lot more often than he was expecting.
