Sebastien Haller has admitted to The Guardian he felt ‘trapped’ at West Ham United after David Moyes replaced Manuel Pellegrini and took a liking to Michail Antonio at striker.
Pellegrini broke the Hammers’ transfer record to make Haller his leading centre-forward in 2019. The Irons paid Eintracht Frankfurt £45m for the Ivory Coast forward after he scored 20 goals over 41 games the previous season. Yet he only managed 14 goals for West Ham.
Haller struggled to get to grips with the demands of the Premier League before the Irons sacked Pellegrini that December. The 27-year-old struck just five goals in his first 18 outings and continued to struggle with Moyes in charge, notching a further five in 30 appearances.
Moyes ultimately decided to cut West Ham’s losses in January 2021 and sold Haller to Ajax for just £20m. He is yet to replace the 12-cap international after three transfer windows; a decision which is putting extra pressure on Antonio to deliver as their only centre-forward.
Antonio delivered the goods whilst Haller was at West Ham, scoring 10 goals in 24 Premier League games during 2019/20. He then hit last term with three goals before suffering a few injuries. Yet Moyes decided Ajax’s offer was too good to refuse for a player he did not back.
Haller felt ‘trapped’ with Moyes after West Ham sacked Pellegrini
Haller has no ill-feeling toward Antonio and is thrilled the 31-year-old is performing at West Ham so far this term. He has struck eight goals and created six, but the Jamaica forward’s form has dropped off in recent weeks and struggled to make an impact against Newcastle.
Haller – ahead of Ajax facing Benfica in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday – now looks back on his West Ham spell and admits a sense of anger. But he also admits the way Moyes wanted the Irons to play did not suit him and left all sides in an awkward place.
“I was brought in by Manuel Pellegrini, but then David Moyes came and we got in a situation where we were … like trapped together,” Haller said. “I was playing in a system that I didn’t really enjoy.
“Moyes preferred someone like Antonio up front, and I’m super happy he’s doing so well; I am for all the guys at West Ham. I had a good time with them, but I was also really mad at the situation, the way we were playing, the way I was playing, [and] the way I was feeling.”
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