OPINION
Marko Arnautovic has never been one to shy away from anything.
The Austrian believes in his own abilities, in his status as a top player, and in the fact that he is deserving of the biggest opportunities that come his way.
But that outlook can be a bit of double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is this unwavering belief in himself, and the arrogant charisma that comes with it, that makes him into one of the most intriguing talents in the Premier League, and one of West Ham’s key assets.
On the other, it can also lead to the kind of uncaring, almost mercenary-like behaviour that saw him trying to force through a move to China back in January.
Understandably, West Ham fans were fairly upset by the news, and the manner in which Arnautovic went about things. The story came like a bolt from the blue, and rather than rubbishing it instantly, the Austrian went along with it and poured fuel onto the fire.
Quite simply, Arnautovic made the whole thing about money, and that will never sit well with the diehard faithful of a fanbase.
That being said, the 29-year-old is only human, and it is also understandable that he had his head turned by the offer of a vastly inflated wage packet in a league where he would undoubtedly be top dog.
So it is perhaps unsurprising that Arnie, the outspoken, mercurial talent with a bee in his bonnet, took a rather unorthodox approach to those fans giving him grief.
Speaking to Goal, he revealed how he reached out to certain supporters to explain his situation.
He said: “I could not call 60,000 people, that would have taken more than two years, but I picked a few that sent me annoying messages on Instagram.
“I asked them for their number, to talk to them. I don’t believe any player in the world has ever done that. They could not believe it at first either.
“I told them I was a human being just like them and I respected them. Therefore they should respect me, too. I told them: ‘Now you can tell me all these bad things directly’.
“And I asked them ‘What do you do, when you receive a better job offer? Do you turn it down immediately?’ They said no and understood my situation.”
It may be left field, but it is also classic Arnautovic, and for all it may have upset fans that he tried to leave in the first place, to hear his side of the story, and to learn of the lengths he went to to convey it, should help them rest a little easier.
He may not be at the club forever, but there’s no doubting that while he is, he will give it his all.
