Soucek, West Ham’s current top scorer in the Premier League, arrived at capital club in January 2020 and has since become a fixture under David Moyes, earning plaudits for his strong showings on the pitch.
Coufal joined Soucek at the London Stadium in the summer, the midfielder playing a key role in the full-back’s acquisition, having provided a glowing reference on him to Moyes.
The 28-year-old is of the view that it was Soucek who opened the door for players from the Czech Republic to get opportunities in the Premier League, as the midfielder’s exploits in the Hammers colours shed light on the quality of players plying their trade in the country.
Coufal, who is currently enjoying life in the Premier League, is hoping to emulate his countryman by keeping his own standards on the pitch high.
“Tomas opened the Czech doors to the Premier League”, Coufal told the Daily Telegraph.
“If Tomas came here and played badly, no one in the Premier League would look for any more players in the Czech Republic.
“It opened the door for me.
“I hope I am not closing it…”
The Czech duo will hope to be playing European football with West Ham next season, with the Hammers putting in a strong push to remain amongst the top part of the league table.
