Richard Keys and Andy Gray stunned as Kurt Zouma starts for West Ham v Watford
Richard Keys and Andy Gray were baffled by David Moyes’ decision to start Kurt Zouma as West Ham beat Watford 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Zouma, 27, started and played all 90 minutes of the Premier League game at the London Stadium despite apologising for a video of himself kicking his pet cat emerging online.
As reported by EssexLive, Essex Police are looking into the video alongside the RSPCA after the Met Police earlier said they won’t investigate it [Express].
Keys and Gray are clearly unhappy with Zouma and West Ham’s decision to play the Frenchman against Watford so soon after the video clip emerged.
As shown in a clip on beIN SPORT’s Twitter account on Tuesday, Keys said: “These young boys have got – to borrow a phrase of yours – the brains of a rocking horse. What is he thinking?
“David Moyes starts him tonight, I’m sure people will have a view about that.
“Police have said they’re not interested but I think they should be interested, I think animal rights groups should certainly be interested.”
Gray then butted in to say: “Hold on. Cruelty to animals is very much a high profile [thing], particularly in the UK. It’s very much an animal-friendly country.
“People love and take care and cherish their animals to such an extent that there are not many people in that country – and worldwide – who would not be horrified by the video we saw Kurt Zouma do that to that cat.
“It was shocking, it really was shocking. But you’re right about West Ham so who does discipline him? Who does take action? Who can take action? Anyone?”
Keys then replied to say: “Well I hope the RSPCA and I then hope that subsequently, the police do.”
Gray then asked: “Would you have played him tonight?”
Keys simply said: “No, absolutely not.”
Never should have played
Moyes had a massive chance to show what West Ham are about by leaving Zouma out of his squad and he totally messed it up.
It was an abhorrent video clip that people will feel sick to the stomach when they watch. No person should treat any animal in the way – let alone your own pet cat.
It was disgusting and Zouma deserved every bit of the boos he got from Watford fans on Tuesday night. And for those who applauded the Frenchman, shame on you.
We don’t want players like that playing for our club – it’s as simple as that.
Moyes had Issa Diop on the bench, why not start him? No, he’s not as good as Zouma but he’s there and he’s still a Premier League centre-back.
If Angelo Ogbonna was fit, we don’t think Zouma would’ve played, which just goes to show that football means more than anything to certain people.
And while we applaud that mentality in one sense, in other, more serious senses, it’s got to be put to the backseat and doing the right thing must prevail.
In other West Ham news, Simon Jordan instantly reacted to the Zouma team news.