Double Trouble on the Payet Front

We're off. The biggest Euro Championship of all time has started and already Hammers fans will be worrying about the future of their talisman Dimitri Payet. As usual, the opening fixture was a tense affair with Payet the only shining light. In four moments of genius he put down the gauntlet to other wannabee tournament darlings;

1. By providing an inch perfect cross for the opening goal of the tournament.

2. As the game looked to be drifting into a turgid stalemate of mediocrity, Payet made three Romanian midfielders look like village idiots with one of his midfield ball juggling manoeuvres....'now you see it, now you don't'....sublime!

3. Just as the French were preparing to settle for a point - reasonable given that the host side has only won the opening fixture once in 30 years - Payet decided to set the tournament alight with a goal out of nowhere. He received the ball surrounded by three Romanian defenders but his first touch created a yard of space and with his weaker left foot he curled the ball into the top right hand corner of the Romanian net. Truly sensational.

4. He treated the artistic and emotionally inclined French media to some patriotic tears. Audacious!!!

Bad news for Hammers fans as Payet is now firmly installed as the most desirable player on the planet! PSG, Barca, Real Madrid were all watching, undoubtedly with considerable envy.

The bad news for Dimitri is that France were disorganised at the back with an ageing Patrice Evra especially off the pace and thus would appear to have little chance of competing against the better sides.