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LJC 1:23 Mon May 13
Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

Can’t say I’ve ever seen him play… anyone know anything much about him…

West Ham season ticket holder Sammie Szmodics has spoken out about his future at Blackburn Rovers after the end of the Championship season. The talisman was candid in expressing his interest in joining a Premier League club, admitting that Rovers wouldn't 'begrudge' the star a big summer move.

The Irishman scored 33 goals in all competitions for Blackburn Rovers this season, in a campaign where the club narrowly avoided relegation with a 19th-place finish. 

Speaking to Sam Allardyce on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Szmodics admitted that a Premier League move would interest him and hoped the Championship club wouldn't stand in the way of that.

Sammy said: “Staying at Blackburn is a decision that’s out of my hands because I still have two and a half years left on my contract. I love playing for Blackburn, it’s a great football club, but obviously, when you score 33 goals in a season there’s going to be speculation."

“I don’t think anyone would begrudge me a move if a Premier League team came calling. It is my dream to play in the Premier League, I’m not saying that opportunity will definitely arise, but I don’t think people could blame me for wanting to go and play there."

“If a Premier League team came knocking then it would be stupid for me not to see what could happen. If I stay at Blackburn, then hopefully I can keep scoring goals next season. I’d love to stay at Blackburn because you want to be the main man, and I’ve loved having that role this season. I’ve kept Blackburn up and done a really good job, so if I’m still there next season, then happy days.

“It is everyone’s dream to play in the Premier League and although there’s nothing on the table right now, I’d be stupid to turn down an opportunity to go and play in the Premier League. I want to test myself at the highest level and there will probably never be a better opportunity for me to do that than now.”

On West Ham Sammy added:

“It’s hard being a footballer and supporting a team, but obviously West Ham is the closest team to us and I started following West Ham at 14 or 15 and it took off from there."

“We played them in the cup last year and It was mixed emotions because we beat them on penalties and it was like I didn’t want to knock West Ham out because we were never going to win the Carabao Cup. West Ham maybe weren’t either but they had a better chance."

“I’ve played there, I scored my penalty there so it was mixed emotions. I try to get to all the games, when I was at Peterborough two years ago I used to go to every game and I go to the away games when they’re up here against Manchester United, City, and Liverpool, I go to all of them."

“I’m trying to get my daughters to support West Ham, but they’re not really interested at the minute.”

GBHammer63 2:17 Tue May 14
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

Watched quite a bit of him over the last couple of seasons as his partner is a friend’s daughter. Absolute grafter, clever and nippy with a good touch. Would only work as one of a duo. Reminds me a bit of Bellamy.

BillyJenningsBoots 4:13 Mon May 13
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

Watched him down at Colchester and he was a stand out but quite small in stature was my only thought.

cygnet 2:42 Mon May 13
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

Smozidcs was playing for my local team Posh a couple of seasons back. They needed a draw against Lincoln to guarantee 2nd place and promotion but were 0-3 down at home with 20 minutes to go.
Cutting a long story short it was 2-3 in the dying seconds of stoppage time when he managed to get the worst penalty decision I've ever seen by kicking his leg back a couple of feet to in turn kick the back of a defender's leg while falling flat on his face in one movement

terry-h 2:27 Mon May 13
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

ludo21
I have seen Szmodics playing for Blackburn and I can confirm that he is very good.
He’s a late convert from midfielder to striker and apart from giving opposing defenders no end of trouble skill wise he is a hard nut who gets stuck in physically.
I think he would make an ideal squad player with us though I see he will be 29 in September maybe too old for the pl at this stage. If he was 4 years younger I’d certainly take a chance. The chicken farming owners would no doubt ask too much dosh from Sullivan…

ludo21 1:52 Mon May 13
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

Can't say that I've seen him play but would be interesting to know if Szmodics would rather play every week at Blackburn or be a squad player at West Ham.

Nagel 1:47 Mon May 13
Re: Sammie Szmodics Is a West Ham fan!

It's an incredible amount of goals for a club who finished 19th, especially seeing as only 7 of them 33 goals were as a striker, and all of them from open play I think. At 28 though it's a bit of a toss up as to whether he's a very late developer or just hit a rare vein of form that won't be anywhere near repeated.

Haven't seen enough of him to have any idea which it is, but if you see the goals he's scored, they show a pretty wide range of shooting: long range belters, 6 yard tap ins, chip shots, going round the keeper, even a header or two.