Hernandez is the man, says Parris

  • by Staff Writer
  • Tuesday, 19th September 2017

Former West Ham defender George Parris admits the team have had the 'worst possible' start to the season – but says striker Javier Hernandez is the man who can make all the difference and help turn the season around.

Writing in his column for Blowing Bubbles magazine, Parris said after three poor defeats from the first three games, September would be a ‘massive month’ for Slaven Bilic’s team – but Hernandez was a huge source of encouragement.

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"The only positive from August was Chicharito getting two goals,” he said.

"The second goal at Southampton was him being in the right place at the right time, he’s the kind of player that might not get a sniff of a chance for the whole game and then get one chance and take it.

"He was very close to scoring against Newcastle as well. It’s just instinctive and we’ve not had a striker like this at West Ham for a long time. This month we really need to feed him a bit more."

Read more from George Parris in the latest edition of Blowing Bubbles at www.blowing-bubbles.co.uk/read-our-latest-issue.html.

Elsehwere in the new edition of Blowing Bubbles, former West Ham striker Dean Ashton has revealed his fairy tale scoring farewell to Upton Park was the perfect way to sign off his career – nine years late.

Ashton’s stunning scissor kick in Mark Noble’s testimonial last season gave the 33-year-old a chance to say goodbye to the home fans, nine years after his last appearance in claret and blue, coming off injured at West Brom.

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"Early on in that game I came off with a little cut in my ear that needed stitching up, and by the time it was done and I was ready to go back on, David di Michele had already been put on in my place. That was it, the death of my career. Subbed without even knowing it."

But having been denied the chance to say a proper farewell to the home crowd first time around, Ashton’s final run-out at the Boleyn earlier this year gave him a second chance, which he took with some style.

"Because I retired so early my children don’t know I was a footballer, so it was nice for them to be there and experience what I actually did!" he revealed.

But the great moment almost didn’t happen at all. "The night before we’d been at Centre Parcs and stayed up late, then I woke up with a bad back and said to my wife ‘I could really do without this, they’ll only stick me on the bench anyway’ – but I’m so glad I went," said the 33-year-old.

"Once I was on the pitch, it was great, and when that cross came over, instinct took over. It was like having the send-off I never got to have."

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