Tomas Soucek #22

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It wasn’t an easy season for Soucek as West Ham struggled, but he remains a fundamental part of Miroslav Koubek’s national side – a brilliantly energetic 1.93m force in midfield. Last year he was named Czech Footballer of the Year for the fourth time. He was brought up in Havlickuv Brod, a town with a population of 23,000 people, and comes from a sporting family: his dad a football coach and his mum a runner. “She runs half-marathons and marathons and sometimes when I was younger I went with her to the forest,” he says. “And sometimes when I was in pre-season I would go with her to run in the forest. I think I got my stamina from her.” Last year he published his autobiography, in which he revealed he had considered retiring early during what were “two years of horror” spent with insomnia and depression. He improved with medical help, and said his trademark “helicopter” goal celebration rose from the experience: “From match to match, I focused mainly on not sleeping, which actually disturbed me doubly. And that’s why the helicopter was created, my goal celebration. I start to spin slightly and enjoy the feeling of taking off. I like it when fans call me a helicopter. It’s a symbol of what I’ve done, what I’ve overcome, and where I am. It expresses my inner feeling that I can fight.”

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