Once in a while, Julien Faubert gives an interview to a French outlet, and 99% of the time, they discuss his time at West Ham.
That’s exactly what happened this week with So Foot, who dedicated their chat with the former winger to discussing various aspects of the player’s career, including his one cap (during a friendly) with France, his brief time at Real Madrid, and his spell at Upton Park.
With the Hammers for five years before a move to Elazigspor in 2012, the Frenchman enjoyed his time in England, revealing that a move to the Premier League was a ‘dream’ he’d had since he was younger.
He said: “Football wise, I spent my best years there, and personally, that’s where I was the happiest. My game was always based on impact and contact, and they like that at West Ham. It’s a club full of exhausted people, but that’s what makes it great. Some fans get their ashes buried in corners of the pitch. I also remember a dad who asked me for a picture before pulling a face.
“I ask him what’s wrong and he tells me he’s going to disown his son. Why? Because he supports Tottenham and therefore won’t be renewing his season ticket with West Ham. For him, that was blasphemy. I still have a strong relationship with fans there.
“When I lost my mum, it was a Thursday, and the Saturday, I was on the pitch. In that country, it’s the kind of thing they don’t forget, which I appreciate. I don’t think they’ll forget that I stayed despite relegation to the Championship either”.
During his years at West Ham, Faubert was in and out of the team, making 121 appearances in all competitions, during which he scored two goals and picked up 11 assists.
He then became a nomadic player, leaving Turkey after six months to return to Bordeaux, before spells in Scotland, Finland, Indonesia before a brief spell with Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël prior to announcing his retirement.
