Marko tackles knife violence

years to help the deprived communities around them and attempt to inspire positive change, and the 29-year-old hopes he can use his own childhood experiences to relate to London’s youngsters.

“I had a lot of friends who were also football players. Some ended up in prison, some of them had injuries,” he said. “I think of my group of friends, I am the only one who is a professional footballer.

“I am still with them [those who went to prison]. I still respect them because they are also part of my life. They are out now. Some of them I don’t have any contact with but I was hearing positive things. They have families and jobs.”

He hopes their stories and his strike a chord in a community being devastated by knife crime. “It’s very hard to put this in the kids’ minds,” he said. “Everyone is trying, we are trying, all the different clubs, the Premier League, the politicians. But you can’t change a child, woman, man or kid who’s got this in their head. You can’t take it out.

“I see a lot of stuff in my life – the kids start selling drugs and selling this and that. I think they take this way because it is easy. But you get hard punishment. You are playing with your life.

“Stay with your friends who are close to you. If one of those friends tries to change, talk to him. If he still doesn’t change, go away from him. When you’re on the good side, you need to get away from this bcause I’ve seen a lot of stuff in my life and it’s not good to be there.”

Arnautovic, the father of two girls, has already made himself a fans’ favourite in east London. Scorer of five goals in 10 games this season, he is confident of increasing that tally at Huddersfield tomorrow.

But he is just as focused on the Project and the difference it could make to the social problems blighting lives in his local community.

“When I see those kids out there, how they play, how they train, how they look up to us, it makes me feel happy,” said the Austrian.

“I just want to give advice to everyone to go the right way. It is important for me. The most important thing is to listen to your family.”

THE Players’ Project represents West Ham’s commitment to use the power of sport to motivate, educate and inspire people in the local community.