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Home , Felipe Anderson, Samir Nasri

DIFFERENT MAN, SAME PLAYER Competition. Ambition. Salvation. For Samir Nasri, a move to West Ham United means so much more than just a fresh start...

WORDS: MITCH WADDON

2018 was not an easy year for just watching on the television. Samir Nasri. I wasn’t even able to train, but a West Ham United’s newest lot of things changed in my life, signing watched on as former and for the best as well. I had a teammates and old friends son and I’ve grown a lot too. I continued to do the thing he know how blessed I am. I’m so loves more than anything in the lucky to have a second chance world; play football. to do what I love. Not everyone Everything about the sport in life gets a second chance, but he adored disappeared as he I have one, and I know I will give served a ban for breaching everything I have. WADA (World Anti-Doping “I’m 31 now and I’m more Agency) rules, and instead had mature. If it was fi ve years ago to accept a role away from the maybe I would have some game he had spent over 20 problem with it or talk too years playing week-in, week much about it, but now I just out. want to focus on the positive Not that the Frenchman does and the good; being back on not appreciate the value of his the pitch, doing what I love the time away from football. Nasri most, with a good team. That’s has grown. The midfi elder feels all that matters to me.” more mature and ready to take Getting back on the pitch hold of his second chance with was exactly what Nasri did last both hands. Saturday, stepping out onto the “You think completely London Stadium playing surface diff erently after you’ve not for the fi rst time in Claret and played football for a year,” Blue and helping his new side to said the 31-year-old, who was beat Birmingham City in the FA suspended after receiving Cup third round. an intravenous drip of 500 The Frenchman played millilitres of water containing just under an hour in his fi rst nutrients. “You think it over a lot. competitive game of football When you’re in the game, you in over a year, impressing the perhaps don’t see everything Hammers fans among the that is happening around you. 54,000-plus crowd. To them; “During that year away, I was to everyone, it looked like Nasri

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had not missed a beat. “To be honest, I thought I would struggle a little more with the rhythm, given as my last game was 13 months ago,” he confessed. “But I was happy to get my fi rst minutes in a West Ham shirt. “It was important for us not to let Birmingham get into the game or get confi dence. We had young players in the team too, so it was important to get the early goal, which we did. “I’m just relieved that everything is now behind me. I’m happy with how I played in my fi rst game back. I’m just looking forward to the next one.” REDEMPTION That ‘next one’, as Nasri refers to, comes in the form of today’s meeting with the ’s old side Arsenal. The Frenchman spent three years in north London after making his move to the English LOOKING TO THE FUTURE The 31-year-old wants to game from in 2008. continue playing at the highest level Under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, Nasri developed from biggest factor for me,” Nasri perfect. By Nasri’s own a young prodigy into one of continued. “We won the Premier admission, he was far from the Premier League’s fi nest League together. He is the one the ideal player in the dressing talents, securing a place in the I was talking to about coming room during his fi rst spell under league’s Team of the Year in his here and he was the one that Pellegrini. The midfi elder’s own fi nal campaign at the Emirates let me come and train with the youthfulness got in his way of Stadium. team. being the best footballer he From there, a move north to “When you’re a player, you could be. Manchester City followed in want a manager that knows Now Nasri is just grateful the 2011, and Nasri continued his your quality. It was really manager has seen how much excellent form at the Etihad important to me this was the he has grown up. Stadium. case. He knows me and he He added: “Five years ago, I Three assists were provided on knows what I’m about. I’m so made some mistakes with him. his debut in a rout of Tottenham grateful to him that West Ham We had won the league and Hotspur and the Frenchman has given me the chance to be we had a great season together helped ’s squad playing again. but in those days, I wasn’t as win their fi rst Premier League “I love his philosophy and the professional as I am now. I was title in unforgettable fashion, way he thinks about football. It’s young and I was immature and defeating Queens Park Rangers attractive, it’s passing football, it’s moving to Manchester City was on the fi nal day of the 2011/12 attacking. The guy is a genius. a big move for me. season to edge out Manchester He thinks a lot about everything “I had two league titles to my United on goal diff erence. and we share the same name and I was making good It was at the Etihad that mentality. money. To be honest, I wasn’t Nasri fi rst worked with Manuel “Everywhere he went, all focusing on my job. I made Pellegrini. The Chilean took over his teams played really good mistakes. from Mancini at the Manchester football. At Villarreal it was the “I’m not the same guy I was club in 2013 and took the club case, and at Malaga as well. At fi ve years ago now. I’m a totally to their second league title Manchester City, we were the diff erent man. I think the boss within just 12 months. fastest team to 100 goals. He is a noticed that from the minute we It was the chance to work really good manager who plays started talking about this move. with Pellegrini again that attractive football, off ensive I’m glad he saw it. He’s given me made a move to West Ham so football. We share the same my second chance.” appealing. philosophy.” HUNGER “The boss being here was the Not that everything was Pellegrini’s appointment to the

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hot seat at West Ham United “It’s for my son as well. He’s came during a summer of too young right now but intense, ambitious investment when he sees me play, it has by the club. Club transfer to be competitively. I could records were broken on more have gone somewhere exotic than one occasion, and Nasri but I wanted to be back in a became the latest in a line of competitive league and prove proven winners signed in the to myself I can still be doing it. 2018/19 campaign when he put My determination is there. I just pen to paper on his contract. want to make a contribution to It is that ambition that has this team.” Nasri really excited. Having gotten just a taste “You choose a club and a for competitive football once project because of the ambition, again in his London Stadium and I think that West Ham has bow, Nasri is fully ready to everything to be one of the hopefully experience even more biggest clubs... This team has this afternoon. If he gets the a lot of quality which has the chance, he will do so gratefully; potential to finish high up the responsibly; proudly. league. “Not everyone in life gets a second chance, but I have one, and I know I will give everything I have”

“Just look at some of the “We are blessed and lucky to be names the club has brought in. able to play every game with Felipe Anderson was the new 60,000 people at the stadium. wonderkid when he signed for I was so excited to step out Lazio, and two or three years at London Stadium in front of ago they were talking about a those fans. The support of the move to Manchester United. fans is really important to us , I know him if we want to achieve things from when he first came in at this year and I think we have to Arsenal. He was a wonderkid potential to do it. I’m looking and he is a special player. forward to the next game, a [Andriy] Yarmolenko same thing. derby against Arsenal so I’m sure Chicharito same thing. the atmosphere will be even “This squad is full of talent and more crazy. it’s the right ingredient for this “The competition, the dressing team to go really high.” room, and to be back on the Nasri’s deal will see the pitch, that’s all I was waiting for, Frenchman remain at West for a whole year. I had some Ham until at least the end of the really tough moments when I season, and he has set himself was really down. I’m a guy who, one goal: To prove he still mentally, I’m really strong, but belongs alongside the best. for maybe the first time in my Nasri added: “When I signed, I life, I cried about my career told the boss that I wanted only because I thought it was over. one thing; to show everyone “But now, coming back to that I can still be that guy. I want the most competitive league to prove it to myself. I want to in the world, with a team full look at myself in the mirror and of ambition with a manager be able to say ‘You came back that I know, and with a brilliant and did everything in the right stadium like this. Man! It’s the HAPPY TO BE HERE way’. best job in the world!” Samir Nasri joined West Ham United on New Year’s Eve

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GENIUS The midfi elder won the Premier League title while playing under

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