Cheikhou Kouyate paid a vote of thanks to the supporters after scooping the Individual Performance of the Season award
Cheikhou Kouyate paid a vote of thanks to the supporters after scooping the Individual Performance of the Season award for his memorable display against Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground in February.
Deputising at centre-half, the Senegal powerhouse not only kept Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao at bay, but also scored a stunner at the other end.
Recognition at Wednesday’s Player Awards comes toward the end of a thoroughly successful first Barclays Premier League season for Kouyate and the 25-year-old dished out a special thank you to the Hammers fans.
"I’ve enjoyed my first season," he told West Ham TV. "Thank you to everybody, staff, coaches and all the supporters, who have adopted me. I like the people and I like the atmosphere.
“It's kind of the supporters to have voted for me and I've also received a lot of messages from them. I want to say thank you, because without them, we, the players, cannot continue. I want to say a big thank you and I’ll see them again next season.”
Deputising at centre-half, the Senegal powerhouse not only kept Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao at bay, but also scored a stunner at the other end.
Recognition at Wednesday’s Player Awards comes toward the end of a thoroughly successful first Barclays Premier League season for Kouyate and the 25-year-old dished out a special thank you to the Hammers fans.
"I’ve enjoyed my first season," he told West Ham TV. "Thank you to everybody, staff, coaches and all the supporters, who have adopted me. I like the people and I like the atmosphere.
“It's kind of the supporters to have voted for me and I've also received a lot of messages from them. I want to say thank you, because without them, we, the players, cannot continue. I want to say a big thank you and I’ll see them again next season.”
As for his award-winning showing against Manchester United, Kouyate agreed that it was his best as stand-in centre-half. But reflecting on the season as a whole, the wholehearted midfielder favoured the 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane.
“I'm very proud for me,” he continued. “Thank you for voting for me, I'm happy. But in this game all the players played well, it was a very good team performance.
“As a centre-back, yes, it was my best, but my best performance for the whole game was against Tottenham.”
There is no doubting, however, that his stunning strike against Manchester United was his best in Claret and Blue. Collecting from a corner, the No8 juggled the ball on the turn and then volleyed emphatically beyond David de Gea.
Asked if there were another goal like that in the offing, “wait and see”, he replied.
“I remember this goal, this is my best, best goal. I like this goal, unbelievable, you know. This goal was a very fantastic goal. This is my best goal ever, it's a striker's goal!”