Carlos Soler, the 28-year-old midfielder who is currently on loan at West Ham from Paris Saint-Germain for this season, shared his thoughts during an interview.
Relevo
In an interview released on Thursday, Soler discusses his move to the English club last summer, subsequent events, the criticisms he faced, and his adaptability.
Soler said, “Since September, I’ve been here and thoroughly enjoying my time.”
What’s life like in London?
I’ve been around since September, and I’m truly loving my time here. Folks often inquire about what’s happening with Paris and London, but honestly, I have no idea how to respond. To be honest, I haven’t even reached one full year yet, plus I had previously lived in Paris for two years.
I’m really delighted; you have the freedom to do anything, like going out for dinner and drinks… My area is quite charming. If I had one wish, it would be for some additional sunlight and warmer temperatures to make things ideal. Of course, having my loved ones around would complete the picture.
How much impact does the host city play in selecting a club? Given your experience living and playing in cities like Valencia, Paris, and London, shouldn’t that be quite enriching?
It’s true that I’ve lived in three beautiful cities, my favorite being Valencia, but it’s clear that at the end of the day, life outside soccer is even more than soccer. Soccer is a job, but daily life away from family and friends is always difficult. But if you live in beautiful cities like Paris or London, you’re very well off, you’ve got everything…
That’s a portion of the formula…
Certainly, it’s hanging in the balance, so I can’t really complain.
Soler “I was eager to depart from Paris.”
Why West Ham?
Ultimately, my plan was to depart from Paris. No one forced me; rather, I aimed to accumulate more minutes and build up my self-assurance, so as to truly feel significant. Indeed, I experimented with different methods over the summertime, yet Coach Lopetegui reached out to me back then. The prospect of his call excited me greatly.
I’m not sure if it’s considered the absolute top tier, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it. It ranks among the premier competitions globally, featuring intense rivalry. Additionally, its location in London plays a significant role, as I mentioned earlier.
Next, we could discuss extensively what happened afterward; whether Lopetegui and the sports director who placed their faith in me lost their jobs, yet that does not imply I am unhappy with the situation.
Soler says, “I have no regrets about the choices I’ve made throughout my career.”
Do you regret them?
I definitely don’t have any regrets about it. There isn’t a single career choice I’m sorry for making. Whether they ended up being good or bad, whether I got more opportunities or fewer ones—I believe every decision has contributed to my growth in some manner.
In terms of football and personally speaking, residing in different cities, departing from Spain, living independently with my partner, and staying distant from my family has been part of this journey. It’s about finding yourself isolated yet using that solitude as fuel for growth.
Soler said “There was interest from Spanish clubs.”
Last summer, you were the favorite among numerous Spanish clubs. People were discussing Real Sociedad, Betis, and more.
Indeed, Spanish teams showed interest in me, yet I was seeking different opportunities at that juncture. Various ventures emerged over here within the Premier League, and among them, West Ham displayed particular enthusiasm from both the club and the manager side.
Ultimately, the Premier League is a competition that captures everybody’s interest. Each match is highly engaging with numerous opportunities, often leading to wide-open play. This style aligns well with the way I perform as a player.
Soler said, “Being coached by Luis Enrique at PSG, by Galtier, by Graham Potter, and by Lopetegui has all been equally enriching.”
How did you progress?
I departed from Valencia when I was 25, and it has been three years since then. At present, I feel quite fit physically; I’ve put in a lot of effort. This doesn’t mean that I wasn’t diligent during my time in Valencia. However, the French league is notably intense in terms of physicality, with all the teams fielding robust athletes, whereas in Spain, tactics play a larger role.
To that extent, I’ve achieved significant advancement. However, the choices I made at PSG hindered my ability to maintain consistent playing time, which deprived me of the assurance needed to demonstrate the same level of performance as I did at Valencia or with the national squad. It might be this inconsistency that stopped me from showcasing my true potential on the field.
Moreover, being mentored by Luis Enrique at PSG, as well as by Galtier, Graham Potter, and Lopetegui, has been incredibly enriching. This experience adds considerable value.
Soler said, “I focus more on the positioning of the players.”
Currently, when I watch the matches, I am neither a mere observer nor perhaps a coach; instead, I focus more on observing how the players place themselves, how they move to catch the ball, their positioning strategies, and how they maneuver into open spaces.
I genuinely enjoy this image. While I might not dedicate my entire day to watching football, when an interesting match catches my eye, I analyze it strategically—focusing on player placement and such. Additionally, I ponder how coaches make decisions from their vantage points and areas.
Soler “It occurs in phases.”
In what ways does your surroundings influence your mental state?
This occurs gradually. At first, I paid closer attention to how others discussed me online, largely due to an underlying belief that they would speak favorably of me since I am new and youthful…
Deep inside, everyone yearns for love and appreciation. Over time, however, you come to understand that concentrating on this isn’t feasible since ultimately, it’s beyond your control.
Sergi Canós even told me in an interview that he had shot at goal “thinking about what the critics would say” and that this had made him lose confidence in himself.
No, that situation doesn’t happen to me frequently. Life has its highs and lows, yet for someone playing football, the downs tend to outnumber the ups significantly. There’s usually more losing than winning involved. So, when facing such challenges, focusing on self-improvement and leaning on those genuinely supportive loved ones seems beneficial. It’s crucial not to turn to individuals stuck at home feeling resentful or lacking insight into your current circumstances.
Soler “soccer has contexts that people don’t know about.”
You’ve played almost everything: what’s the ideal position for Carlos Soler?
For me, soccer has contexts that people don’t know about. It’s normal, it’s not in a dressing room, in everyday life. As far as I’m concerned, I couldn’t tell you exactly, because for one style of play, my ideal position is one, for another style it’s the other.
I’ve often mentioned that during my time with the national team under Luis Enrique, in the setup with three players, I had the opportunity to operate in midfield and occasionally between the lines. It might be within this framework that I can best utilize my strengths.
Soler “As a coach, understanding that I have experience playing in numerous positions provides me with additional chances to get onto the field.”
Is your adaptability an asset?
Certainly, without any hesitation. People frequently inquire if I view this aspect positively or negatively since my role isn’t static; instead, it can shift based on the game or during the course of a single match. This fluidity means that at times, lacking consistent positioning has led me to reflect on these changes.
But looking back, the reality is that during my career it’s done me a lot of good, and in the long term it’ll do me a lot of good and it’s good for me.
Over all these years, I’ve shown that I can play as a double pivot, with three in the middle, on the wing, in a counter-attacking system, I’ve shown that I can play in an inside full-back system….. For a coach, knowing that I’ve played in so many positions gives me more possibilities to play.
Soler “They didn’t tell me I was going to stay next year or that I could leave.”
What does Carlos’ body need in the near future?
At present, the only thing that’s evident to me is that I am with West Ham and that I still have two years remaining on my deal with PSG. Moving forward, I intend to maximize whatever time we have left over these next two or three months.
Indeed, this has been a challenging season for all, perhaps even more so for personal reasons since I joined due to Lopetegui, who was let go midway through the season. When a new coach comes in, initially one might feel disheartened as they may perceive it negatively, thinking the new coach isn’t offering opportunities.
However, I believe I managed to adjust immediately. This has indeed been an intricate year, and we aren’t entertaining any aspirations of playing in Europe. Therefore, I focus on each passing day and strive for excellence. Starting from this summer, I will become a PSG player. Truthfully, I am uncertain about what my body requires. Nobody has informed me whether I’ll remain with them next year or if I’m allowed to depart.
Are you going to play at the Nuevo Mestalla (Valencia’s new stadium)?
Certainly, absolutely, yes. I’ve noticed that operations have restarted, so I’m hoping the timelines for the stadium project will be achieved, and naturally, I would want…
