After France’s win, Evra gives thanks to Hammers for playmaker Payet
WEST HAM are to thank for taking French match-winner Dimitri Payet to ‘the next level’, according to Les Bleus teammate Patrice Evra.
Former Manchester United left-back Evra looked on as the Hammers midfield star turned a disappointing draw into a dream start for the hosts in Friday’s curtain-raiser, hitting a stunning 89th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory over Romania.
The strike at the Stade de France capped 29-year-old Payet’s incredible journey from national team also-ran to one of the key members of Didier Deschamps’ squad, which he had very nearly missed out on being part of altogether.
‘It was amazing, but I think you have to say thanks to West Ham because he went to the Premier League, where it is a different game,’ said Juventus star Evra. ‘You can see now that he takes responsibility. When he has to shoot, he shoots, and he has scored some great goals. I’m very happy for him.
‘I’m not surprised by how quickly he has fitted in here.
‘We know, and the manager knows, that Payet has quality. Now he has gone to the next level with his personality and his character. You have to be strong and take the responsibility to score the winning goal and stuff like that. I think he has shown he is ready.’
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic signed Payet a year ago from Marseille for £10.7million, a relatively modest fee for a player with a reputation for being one of Ligue 1’s most creative players.
He arrived with the record of most assists in the whole of Europe, more than the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, yet there were persistent question marks over his maturity during his career in France.
However, Payet proved during his first season at Upton Park that he could be a playmaker of the highest order.
He finished his debut campaign in the Premier League with nine goals and 12 assists from his 30 midfield appearances.
In fact, had it not been for a two-month injury lay-off between November and January and the Leicester City title fairytale, Payet might even have been Footballer of the Year.
He certainly quickly became a cult hero for the West Ham supporters.
Evra says his talent did not necessarily ensure he would be a success in English football, but that his switch from Marseille to London seemed to have transformed him.
‘Has the move changed him? Of course,’ said Evra. ‘It’s a challenge to go to the Premier League.
‘Before I joined Manchester United, I thought I was a good player because I had played a Champions League Final and I had played for the national team. But when I arrived in the Premier League, at first I thought: ‘‘What am I doing here?’’ The game is so fast and so tough.
‘In the end I thought: ‘‘This is a new job for me’’ and I’m not ashamed to say that, it’s the truth. When you go to the Premier League, it’s too difficult for some people to play in and to win.’
Payet’s goal sealed an emotional victory for his country and, when he was substituted during stoppage time, the player born on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean broke down in tears.
His Premier League colleague Bacary Sagna, the Manchester City right-back who also faced Romania, said Payet’s spontaneous response was a reflection of the whole team’s feelings.
‘He made the difference and he won the game,’ Sagna said. ‘He was involved with both goals, he set up the first one (for Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud) and scored the second, so I’m very pleased with the way he played.
‘However, I’m not surprised because he just did what he has been doing for West Ham all season.
‘The emotion he showed at the end was the same for all of us, we all felt like that. We were playing in front of family, in front of our fans in our own country.
‘With that comes pressure so we needed to win today, we did and we take the three points into the next game.’