Noel Whelan has suggested that Robert Snodgrass may have to quit West Ham United to earn regular first-team football.
The BBC pundit admitted that his former teammate from Livingston may need to find another club as his career is coming to an end with him sitting on the bench at the London Stadium.
Whelan shared that it could be better for the 32-year-old to join a lower-end Premier League team or even drop into the Championship as he needs to be playing every single week.
The former Leeds United forward heaped praise on Snodgrass and his professionalism despite the fact that he is not featuring as much as he would ideally like.
“There’s a possibility that he could (look for a new club),” he told Football Insider.
“Manuel Pellegrini uses him every now and then but when you get to 32, you need to be playing week in, week out because age and the amount of football you play takes its toll on you.”
“He’s got something to offer at one of the top teams in the Championship or a lower team in the Premier League.”
“I know Robert from my days at Livingston, absolutely great talent, Fantastic left foot, great lad to work with – everything about Snoddy is professional.”
“He needs to play week in, week out. He’s not a 21-year-old any more. You need to keep ticking over. He’s got so much more to offer and if that needs to be at another club, it needs to be at another club.”
OPINION
There is no doubting the natural ability that Snodgrass possesses from outside and on set-pieces. The Scotland international has made a career with his sweet left foot, which has delivered numerous strikes from distance and a bucket load of chances. The 32-year-old has the crossing ability that all strikers cherish, and he is any goalscorers dream winger to have alongside. With Pellegrini preferring fast attackers in the final third such as Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini, it is hard to see any opportunity on the horizon in the first-team. Whelan is right, Snodgrass may have to look elsewhere if he wants guaranteed minutes, after only completing 144 this season so far. Snodgrass has already completed a loan spell with Aston Villa in the Championship during his time at the London Stadium, and that might be the route he needs to go down once again if he needs football. There would surely be many Championship clubs lining up for his signature should come available, and the Scotsman will need to think long and hard about his future before the January window.
