The midfielder then explained the reason behind switching from Newcastle United to West Ham United and how important a role Sam Allardyce played in all of it.
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Kevin Nolan, who just turned 41 years of age, walked down the memory lane, as he spoke about his time with West Ham United. The midfielder opened up about his switch from Newcastle United to West Ham in the summer of 2011. Nolan, who made 157 appearances and scored 31 goals for the Hammers, played a significant role in the club’s success during that period. It also includes him helping West Ham securing their promotion back to the Premier League.
Nolan is happy to see how far West Ham United have come since his time with the club. “You can see and feel the progress in the club from when I first walked in the door. Then, the club had just been relegated and the place was as flat as a pancake. There were struggles with the squad and other things, so to see where the team is now is great,” he was quoted as saying by the club’s website.
The midfielder then explained the reason behind switching from Newcastle United to West Ham United and how important a role Sam Allardyce played in all of it. “I’d been at Newcastle for two-and-a-half years and had a really good season in the Premier League, and it was a big decision to join West Ham. I had two years left on my contract with Newcastle and I was in Dubai with my family when I got a call from my agent asking me if I’d be interested in joining West Ham and linking back up with Sam Allardyce,” he added.
“There was no hesitation from me. I wanted to get it done and the rest, as they say, is history. My wife probably saw it a bit different though as I was then on the phone for most of that holiday, trying to sort the move out. It was the right choice for us and our family in the end, and we’ve got some great friends in London.”
Kevin Nolan was a regular under Sam Allardyce during his time with West Ham. He spoke about how it felt to adjust to the new environment and teammates. “It was a massive thing to be brought in by a manager I’ve already played for, someone you have a really good understanding with, so the other players are looking at you like you’re his spy or his man,” Nolan explained.
“They don’t really know how to take to you and if they can trust you. It was difficult in a way; another challenge, but I know that once they got to know me and I had settled in they would know that I wasn’t there to be Sam’s spy. I was there to be there for them and help to regroup a dressing room that was struggling after the relegation. That was my job, as the captain, and I think the lads saw that. I made some really good friends at West Ham, many of who I still speak to now, which is fantastic.”
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