West Ham defender, Vladimir Coufal, is back and raring to go after a much-needed break with his family, leaving behind the disappointments of last season and the Euros.
Coufal spent a week in his home village of LudgeÅovice in the Czech Republic, enjoying quality time with his parents, laughter with his wife and children, and some peaceful carp fishing in a local lake. He and his wife Hana also spent time in Prague, before taking their two children to Crete for a sun-soaked holiday.
"We went to Crete and it was perfect!" he beamed. "The sea, beach and pool were lovely, and spending time with my wife and kids was amazing. I have to say, it's getting harder every year to leave them for a training camp as they are getting older and understand how long I'll be away. It's never easy to say 'goodbye'."
The family also enjoyed two weeks back home in LudgeÅovice, a small village where Coufal is well-known. "We have peace and calm there, and a beautiful forest just two minutes away for a walk, as well as ponds. So every evening I took some fishing rods and went out for three or four hours. I caught some carp, but always let them go back in the water. It was perfect, so we extended our time there and my parents were so happy."
The couple also enjoyed a romantic getaway to Prague, leaving their children with Coufal's parents. "We spoke about family stuff, the kids, how they are getting on at school in London and also how life is in the Czech Republic. To have a holiday and turn my phone off was lovely!"
The break was a welcome respite for Coufal after a tough season. West Ham narrowly missed out on qualification for European football, and Coufal's Czech Republic side suffered an early exit from the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.
"Obviously, we didn't promote to European football with West Ham, then we had an unsuccessful Euros with the Czech Republic, so I just needed to let football go away from my head and be with my family and talk about normal stuff. I was really grateful that they helped me to do it," he explained.
Now fully recharged, Coufal is ready to focus on football again. He is excited about West Ham's upcoming Stateside Cup matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace in Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida. This will be Coufal's first trip to the United States, and he is eager to experience all it has to offer.
"To be honest, it was a really long flight, but I felt a bit of excitement because you see America in the movies and you see everything is possible here, as it's the country of unlimited options!" he beamed.
"I want to go fishing and catch something big from the sea, that would be perfect! Then I would like to go to an NBA or an NFL game and sit there and have a hamburger or hot dog, but the seasons haven't started yet. We are playing in two NFL stadiums, though, so that will have to do!"
Coufal is determined to make amends for last season's disappointments and is eager to help West Ham secure a return to European competition.
"We want to work hard to get back into Europe for next season. I was really disappointed we missed out on European football for this season, so we have to improve our standards and be more consistent."
West Ham fans can watch both Stateside Cup matches live on West Ham TV via whufc.com and the official mobile app. Tickets for the matches are also available to purchase online. Alternatively, fans in the United States can attend the matches in person.
