Stan Collymore shares rumoured West Ham complaint to referee over Kurt Zouma controversy
West Ham defender Craig Dawson complained to the referee about Chris Wood winding up Kurt Zouma yesterday, according to a rumour shared by Stan Collymore.
The Newcastle striker apparently tried to get under the Hammers’ centre-back’s skin by repeatedly meowing at him.
Zouma has been at the centre of a storm recently after footage emerged before the Watford match of him kicking and slapping his cat, with David Moyes’ decision not to drop him against the Hornets pouring fuel on the fire.
The match against the Magpies finished 1-1, with Joe Willock equalising after Dawson’s header had put the Irons ahead
Writing on his personal Twitter account, former England striker Collymore relayed an unattributed quote: “Craig Dawson complained to the referee during the games between West Ham and Newcastle because Chris Wood kept on saying “meeeow” to Kurt Zuma [sic].”
Easy target
Whether the suggestion is true is unconfirmed but it is frankly to be expected at the moment.
Some players rely on irritating their opponents as a key part of their game, and as long as there is nothing unacceptably abusive to it there is nothing really wrong with it.
The cat kicking controversy is the kind of issue that is ideal for the kind of player that thrives on getting under their opposite number’s skin.
The French defender hasn’t got a leg to stand on and has already issued a full apology, so he would struggle to argue back.
But uncomfortable as it would surely be for him, and annoying for his teammates, it is hard to see what grounds Dawson would have to make a complaint to the referee.
That this has come out now means that even if Newcastle’s January signing wasn’t doing it yesterday, upcoming strikers will probably now try it.
Unfortunately for the player and the team it is something they would just have to push through as they try to battle their way into Europe for next season.
In other West Ham news, Manchester United have reportedly become competition for the Hammers in their £40million chase for one defender.