Carlos Soler left the train at the Stratford station and joined the hordes of West Ham fans advancing beyond the Westfields shopping center, beyond the great red slide and towards the London stadium.
The suspension had ruled out the Hammers midfielder outside the Premier League clash against Brighton in December, so the Spanish, lent by Paris Saint-Germain, thought it appeared to see the game as a fan.
Throughout him he walked, this international of Spain and former teammate of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, surrounded by West Ham fans murmuring about the shape of the team and what the future had for the then manager Julen Lopetegui.
None of them noticed the player in their midst.
“They didn't recognize me,” says Soler with a smile. 'It was nice, I enjoyed it. It is not a problem taking photos with fans because when I was at the Valencia Academy, I wanted photos with the players of the first team, but, at this time, I preferred not to be recognized to be able to go with them and experience the day as an admirer. '
Those fans have not had much to enjoy this season, but, finally, under the new manager Graham Potter is beginning to feel something they don't have for a while: hope.
The Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler joined West Ham on the loan of Paris Saint-Germain in August
Soler won his first goal from the Premier League for West Ham last month in a 3-2 victory over Fulham
A draw in Aston Villa last time in a very improved performance after the first full week of Potter training and now West Ham goes to Chelsea on Monday night with spring in its path.
“We should have won,” says Soler. “We have to continue like this.”
Soler is a brilliant, lovely and eloquent company, while talking about everything, from how Potter has revitalized West Ham, to his love for tennis and compatriots Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Nadal, until his desire to become a chief coach in chief one day , being a virtual leading the club of the hometown Valencia to the Spanish title in the football manager, and how much he likes to live in his London apartment near Tower Bridge with his girlfriend Marta and take trains around the city.
They went to Royal Albert Hall for the first time last week to see Cirque du Soleil.
“It was beautiful,” he says. 'People don't know me so much, so it's good for me. I can go by train as a normal person and enjoy London. Walk, have coffee. I like it.'
He has not yet tried cake and puree, nor is he too much in love with Paella's English attempts that sees people eating in street food markets.
Foot and what? I have not tried this, but I live near Borough Market and I have to say it, sorry for the paella here, “says Soler. “I have not tried, but just see it … if you like this, so if you come to Valencia, you will love it.”
Soler joined West Ham on the last day of the PSG Summer Transfer Window, whom he joined in 2022 of Valencia. He took time to establish himself, inside and outside the field, live outside a hotel for a month and when it was difficult Club in the victory over Fulham.
The 28 -year -old grew seeing other Spanish spanish midfielders take the Premier League by assault, idolizing characters such as Cesc Fábregas, Juan Mata, David Silva and Santi Cazorla. He hopes to continue in his mold.
“It was not easy because you have to change many things, not only in football, but in the life that people do not know,” says Soler. 'It is normal because fans only know about the games, but there are many more things than football.
“I knew I had to adapt my game to the Premier League. There is more intensity, crazy games. The second half was thus against Villa. It was one side, another, one side, another.
'I had to fit with the coach's idea. I started playing but then Julen was fired. I saw him as an opportunity with the new coach.
Soler began his career in Valencia and has won the league with them, although in the football manager
Julen Lopetegui was in charge of West Ham when Soler first arrived at London's stadium
'I saw that Graham had confidence in me. He likes the football style that play. That is very important for a player.
It was the former boss Lopetegui who was integral to take him to the club, but it is the forms of the new Potter man who has begun to capture his imagination.
“It is always difficult to have a manager and the next day I have another manager,” adds Soler. 'I think the new coach has good ideas. We are happy with the new coach. I like the football you want to play.
'He wants to attack but not immediately. Go to the right, go to the left, go right again because there is a space there. We have to mix these situations to go directly to the goal. In England, fans love when we go directly. Here at the London stadium, sometimes we play slowly, people don't like that. We know it, but first we have to move the other team. I like this football style, such as Spanish football. The position in the field, the structure, the connections between us.
'I had seven or eight different managers in my career and all of them had so many good things. If in the future I also want to be a manager, I have had many good managers, so I learned about them. '
Soler has played under Luis Enrique's tastes in PSG and former Chief of Watford and Leeds, Javi Gracia. He was also on the bench for Gary Neville's penultimate game as Valencia's manager, but insists that he can't remember much about it.
Meanwhile, Potter has made his changes, both in the field and in the training field, tactically and how he communicates with his players.
When he took over, Potter held a frank and clear discussion with his squad about what had gone wrong.
The Spanish Lopetegui was replaced by Graham Potter in West Ham's leather on January 9
'We needed this. You always have to be honest. That is the way to improve. When you are not good in the field, you must tell the truth because it will not work.
“He likes to talk to the players,” says Soler. 'I have spoken with him two or three times. In football, sometimes you have no confidence to talk, but I like it when the manager tells me where I have to improve. In Spain we say: “Having understood people”, the people who speak are understood. “That relationship with a coach, or with their staff or.
'Many things have changed with the position in the field. If we play against a team that plays with two strikers, we may play with three on the back to be more compact. '
'We see many videos of our rivals. Then, in the field, we train how to overcome them. So many things I can't tell you more because Enzo Maresca will see this and I don't want that!
Soler's loan has increased in summer and the club has the option to make it permanent. As open as it has been throughout the interview, it is the time when it closes a little when asked about his future and if he sees himself in the long term.
'I don't know about that. If I tell you one thing, maybe in two months it will be different. I don't know, I like London, I like to play for West Ham, I like fans, I like people here and I'm very happy. That is all I can tell you right now.
As the interview comes to an end, Soler is asked to reflect on the season he spent playing with Messi in the PSG in 2022-23. How was that?
“It's the best player,” says Soler. 'He is the goat. I will always remember when I met him in the locker room for the first time. I played with him, Neymar, Mbappe, Ramos, Marco Verratti. Every day was crazy. These star players. They are normal people, but they cannot be like me and take public transport!