Niclas Fullkrug’s weekend outburst in which he accused his West Ham team-mates of a lack of motivation would have been better kept in the dressing room, according to boss Graham Potter.
Germany striker Fullkrug fronted up to the media following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with already-relegated Southampton and laid bare his irritation, telling BBC Sport: “It is a mindset problem. Very angry today.
“Not disappointed, just angry with what we did after the goal. It was difficult to bring the boys back to push up, we didn’t push up anymore.
“We tried, but we didn’t have the ability or the motivation to push up again. I am very, very angry that we played like this.
“We were s*** and I’m very angry.”
West Ham’s Niclas Fullkrug was ‘very angry’ after the draw with Southampton. 😡 #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/nUVr7Z0RtY
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 20, 2025
📰 Table Of Contents
Hammers fans back Fullkrug, but not boss Potter
Fullkrug’s outburst was relatable for many Hammers fans unhappy that the club are 17th in the Premier League but Potter believes he should not have gone public with his views.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to his former club Brighton, Potter said: “I think he [Fullkrug] wears his heart on his sleeve.
”I would disagree with him in some things and agree with him in others.
“But he’s entitled to his opinion. As a senior player, we’ve had lots of honest conversations. And I think for me it’s better to have the conversations in private, not in public.
“Then as a group we move forward. That’s how it is. You need to be honest. You need to be able to say what you think. That’s for sure. And then you have to think about the team as well.”
We have a responsibility – Potter
Potter says it is sometimes wise to think of the bigger picture.
He added: “We have a responsibility to the team and the club. And from my perspective, sometimes I could be honest about how I really feel. But I don’t think it’s helpful to the players. I don’t think it’s helpful to the club.
“So, we all have to be aware of our responsibilities as well.”
