Keith Wyness drops brutal Lucas Paqueta verdict after astonishing West Ham scenes
Lucas Paqueta has been told to look at himself before blaming anyone else following his red card against Liverpool.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who insists Paqueta is only to blame for getting sent off in West Ham’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges in July, after the FA had launched an investigation into the 28-year-old in August 2023.
Following his sending off against Liverpool, Paqueta took to social media to criticise the football authorities for going “two years without any psychological support“.
Lucas Paqueta has ‘got to look at himself in the mirror’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes there are worse situations players have had to deal with mentally than Paqueta’s.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness feels Paqueta can’t blame the authorities for looking after his wellbeing.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, I don’t think this is the authorities’ issue really, although they were the ones that levelled the charges. I don’t see them being totally responsible for his support, if you like, and mental well-being afterwards.
“I actually think he’s got to look at himself in the mirror. And I think the club will have supported him and will have offered him some help, whether he accepts it or whether this is just really a dissatisfaction with the whole situation. And he’s making it pretty clear that he did lose it, there’s no doubt. We all saw it.
“We were all telling him, shut up, walk away, but he didn’t. And you could just see he’d mentally just gone into a fit of rage. That’s understandable, but I’m afraid I’ve seen a lot of players over the years who lose it, who are very competitive.
“I don’t think he can actually stop blaming outside influences so much. Yes, he’s been through a lot. But a lot of players go through broken legs, injuries, all sorts of dark times in their careers. And by the way, he was found not proven. So, yes, we all understand he had a very bad few months, but there have been worse things that happened in the game. And so I’m afraid I think he’s got to get a grip.”
Paqueta not for sale
West Ham still do not want to sell Paqueta in the January transfer window despite interest in the Brazilian midfielder.
Paqueta has three Premier League goals for West Ham this season, and will miss the trip to Man United next due to suspension.
West Ham remain outside the bottom three only on goal difference after defeat against Liverpool, despite an improvement under manager Nuno Espirito Santo.