Keith Wyness suggests what West Ham are doing to solve big Lucas Paqueta problem
West Ham need to make mental health counselling available to Lucas Paqueta following his extraordinary actions against Liverpool.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who also states Paqueta needs to be open and honest with his problems.
Paqueta was sent off during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat against Liverpool last month, before the Brazilian took to social media to hit out at the football authorities.
The reaction comes after Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges in July following an investigation that the FA had launched into the 28-year-old.
Lucas Paqueta has ‘got to own up’ to any problems
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 – is confident that Paqueta has been offered mental health counselling.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness provided his insight into what West Ham should be doing to support Paqueta.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Now, if it is mental health counselling he needs, I’m sure it’s available and I’m sure it has been made available for him. And the club would have been very conscious about that.
“But I just wonder if this is part of the makeup of his true character and whether this is just showing a greater overall dissatisfaction with the situation he’s in. Some questions that we can’t answer because we’re not psychoanalysts, but I do think there’s a little bit of his own responsibility that’s got to come out on this.
“And I think he’s actually got to own up to it. And if he has to take counselling, fine. If I’d been there as chief executive, I’d have made sure he was offered it. I’ve had difficult situations with employees and we’ve had to do that before and it can be the right situation but unless, as with all these things in human life, unless somebody really wants to fix it themselves internally, no amount of counselling will help.
“But I think he’s actually got to own up to himself and the problem’s got to start being fixed there internally.”
Paqueta makes immediate return in Brighton draw
Following a one-match ban, Paqueta returned to the starting XI for West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Brighton, with the midfielder playing 82 minutes of the contest.
The Hammers were denied a crucial three points by a controversial stoppage time equaliser by Georginio Rutter.
West Ham remain in the bottom three and two points adrift of safety, with the visit of Aston Villa to the London Stadium next up for Nuno Espirito Santos’ side.