Luis Boa Morte vows to win over West Ham doubters

Portuguese winger promises hard work at London club

West Ham United forward Luis Boa Morte has vowed to fight to silence the doubters among the Upton Park crowd, as he endures a testing second season with the club.

The 30-year-old, who joined the Hammers from London rivals Fulham just over a year ago, was handed his fist appearance for three weeks on the weekend, playing the full ninety minutes against his former club.

The spell out of manager Alan Curbishley’s match squad followed a disappointing performance against Liverpool, during which the Portuguese was booed by his own fans after missing a couple of good opportunities.

Curbishley was happy with Boa Morte’s contribution against Fulham saying: “When you change the shape it suits some people, like the three midfielders who play to their strengths. I brought Luis Boa Morte to play in the hole and he’s done his bit.”

Ahead of the match, Boa Morte spoke to newspaper The Independent in depth about his career in the Premiership, admitting that a season in which he has only started 14 of his team’s 31 matches, has been the toughest episode of his decade long career in English football.

Ready to fight

“It’s been one of my most difficult periods in football since I came to West Ham,” he said. “But I’m always able and ready and up for the fight, you know, I’m not going to turn my back away.

“We are in a better position as a club this season, so of course I feel better. Personally I just need to score one or two goals to get the thing going because I have been putting in the hard work to get back from my hamstring injury but it is just the scoring bit that hasn’t come along. It’s been my fault because I have had a few chances, so I’ll keep working hard.”

Reflecting upon his misses against Liverpool, Boa Morte admitted: “The first one probably was the easiest one to hit the target, but my body was in the wrong position. The second one – I didn’t really expect the ball to come to me.

“But I will take the blame. That’s a side of football that exists, and we are here to take that. My back is big enough to take the boos for missing chances. But it is not big enough to take the boos for not working hard. That I won’t take from the West Ham supporters or any other person. If someone says that, I won’ t turn my face away.”