Dimitri Payet remains West Ham United’s most important creative player.
James Collins has told West Ham United’s official website that he realised how good Dimitri Payet was from the moment the French international nutmegged him in training.
Payet joined West Ham from Marseille back in the summer of 2015, and Collins admits that he did not know much about the attacking midfielder at that stage.
However, after having to mark Payet in training, Collins quickly realised that Slaven Bilic had added a world class talent to West Ham’s squad.
“I probably realised how good he was in the first couple of days when he put the ball through my legs and turned the other defenders before putting the ball past the keeper,” the Welsh defender said.
“If I am honest I didn’t know too much about him when he first came but when I saw the things he could do, I knew he was a special player.”
Payet went on to become West Ham’s talisman during his first season at the club.
The 29-year-old inspired West Ham to claim a European spot, after they managed to finish in seventh place in the Premier League last term.
The Hammers have not been as strong this time around though, and Payet’s form has suffered.
Payet has not been as effective over the campaign so far, with West Ham sitting in 17th place in the Premier League standings after a poor start.
Bilic’s side are next in action at the weekend, when they face an unbeaten Tottenham Hotspur side at White Hart Lane.
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