Anthony Regan, a close personal friend of West Ham United star Ben Johnson, has claimed that the 21-year-old ‘loves learning’ from Vladimir Coufal.
The West Ham youngster has recently impressed during a run of games at the club’s right-back. With Coufal out injured, Johnson has played the full 90 minutes in each of the Hammers’ last three matches.
The club have won all of these games and kept two clean sheets along the way. Meanwhile, in the only game that they conceded in, the young defender managed to score.
It’s safe to say that Johnson has impressed with his Czech teammate out injured. Despite this, Regan has explained that the competition for places within the team is healthy.
While speaking as a guest on The West Ham Way podcast, he said: “Coufal is a top player. And I’ve had chats with Ben about Coufal, he loves learning off of him.
“So either way, we’re in such a good position to have these sort of dilemmas now. Whereas before, it would be like, ‘who’s gonna fill this gap?’ Now it’s, ‘who do we pick to play there?'”
TIF Thoughts on Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal and West Ham…
There should be no doubting Coufal’s quality – after all, he did come runner-up in the club’s esteemed Hammer of the Year award last season, losing only to Czech compatriot Tomas Soucek.
Could Ben Johnson keep Vladimir Coufal out of the West Ham team?
Yes
No
David Moyes certainly rates the 29-year-old still, having started him in all seven Premier League games up until his injury. That fitness issue opened the door for Johnson, however, and it’s safe to say he’s taken his chance.
However, with Coufal reportedly edging back to fitness, it will be interesting to see which player Moyes chooses to start as his number-one option across the coming weeks and months.
In other news: ‘I checked it out with the club’ – Ex reveals Ben Johnson ‘contract situation’