Vladimir Coufal spent five years in the Premier League with West Ham United but it has only taken the veteran right-back a few weeks at Hoffenheim to break new ground.
When a free-kick came the Hammers’ way on the edge of the opposition penalty area, candidates would often include Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Emerson Palmieri and/or Aaron Cresswell.
In James Ward-Prowse, West Ham United also have the Premier League’s second most prolific free-kick scorer behind Manchester United legend David Beckham.
Vladimir Coufal, then, never really got a look in. But maybe he should have.
Former West Ham ‘warrior’ Coufal never scored a single goal during five years and across 180 appearances. But while Graham Potter’s side went down to Crystal Palace at the London Stadium – another full-back in the shape of Tyrick Mitchell a very unlikely hero for Oliver Glasner’s visitors – Coufal not only opened his Hoffenheim account on Saturday afternoon, he also marked the occasion with an extremely unexpected free-kick.
Against the mighty Bayern Munich, no less.
Vladimir Coufal scores Hoffenheim free-kick after summer West Ham United exit
OK, this does not belong alongside the pantheon of great set-pieces.
Dimitri Payet’s physics-defying effort against Aston Villa, for instance, or Emerson’s Goal of the Season winner against Arsenal last season.
With Hoffenheim already 3-0 down and Harry Kane adding a ninth Bundesliga hat-trick to his collection, Coufal drove a fierce effort towards Manuel Neuer’s goal. A handy deflection from a stretching Joshua Kimmich saw the ball zip out of Neuer’s reach, but Coufal’s stroke of luck is something his old employers could certainly do with at the moment.
And while Vladimir Coufal has earned his ‘Mr Reliable’ nickname at Hoffenheim, the Sinsheim outfit may have to come up with a new moniker now. One which reflects his new-found free-kick threat. At the age of 33, perhaps you can teach old dogs new tricks after all.
Coufal’s old employers West Ham lose to Crystal Palace
There was to be no such fortune for West Ham United as the boos rang out at the London Stadium; Graham Potter, David Sullivan and Karren Brady all facing the ire on another punishing afternoon in the east of the capital.
Nuno Espirito Santo has emerged as the frontrunner to take Potter’s place after only eight months in charge. Hammers News can confirm that vice-chair Karren Brady held talks with Nuno this week, while the ex-Nottingham Forest boss was pictured near Sullivan’s Essex residence on Friday.
“Potter must be wondering what he has to do to win a game at the London Stadium,” West Ham legend Tony Gale said while watching Mitchell lash a stunning right-footed volley past the returning Alphonse Areola in the home side’s goal.
“Missed chances, good goalkeeping at the other end, and then the sucker punch [of Mitchell’s winner].
“I think they’ve made some good signings, to be fair. [Malick] Diouf, [Mateus] Fernandes, [Soungoutou] Magassa, [Kyle] Walker-Peters. But, as always, you’ve got to get results.”
Potter has won only six games in charge, losing 14 out of a possible 25. That means he has the second-worst win rate of any manager in the club’s Premier League era, above only Avram Grant.
