How West Ham's Pablo Fornals drew new inspiration from his own little 'Spanish Cockney'

On the right day, parents with prams or the joggers in Victoria Park will catch the glimpse of a Premier League footballer cycling while he escapes from the world for half an hour.

Pablo Fornals treats the bike rides like meditation, away from the battle to keep West Ham United in the top four of the Premier League or the demands that come with being a father for the first time two months ago. What started with team-mate Michail Antonio is now more a way of life for the Spaniard, whose routes include going to his favourite park in East London or venturing further into the city to Tower Bridge.

“Honestly, after cycling with Mike (Antonio) I never stopped doing it because this gives me life, it gives me 20 to 30 minutes to be by myself, not thinking about what I have here or what I have at home, just put everything out of my mind,” Fornals said.

“When I go to cut my hair, I go with my bike. When I do something, I do it with my bike. It’s meditation but also about being focussed because here you have bike lanes on the road. I have to be focused 100 per cent!”

Fornals could be forgiven for wanting a slice of alone time to reflect on a whirlwind couple of seasons. His place at West Ham looked uncertain when David Moyes took charge but he has forced his way into the manager’s plans as a regular and earned a recall to the Spain squad last year. He was not involved in the November international break as his wife was giving birth to their son, Martin. Along came new inspiration for the 25-year-old midfielder, along with a different sleeping schedule.

“I’m a guy who loves his wife and I just wanted to make it easier for her as well. This thing has changed me as a person, as a player, in everything. You have another thing to fight for,” he said. “And you want to be a good example, you want to try always to give your best face because your child is going to learn from you. He’s another Spanish Cockney, he’s not proper Cockney yet.

“So I’m trying to be as good as I can in all aspects of my life. It’s a big change. It’s not been easy. I’ve been playing less but that’s because I had to adapt into this new thing in our lives. Now I’m feeling really well, feeling like before - or better than before because I have another thing to fight for. I’m really happy to recover my best shape.”

Fornals was forced to spend time away from his family recently after testing positive for Covid, which has seen him slowly feel his way back into action after the lingering effects of being away from training for a period of time.

“To be fair, the only thing I had was double red lines in a test. I didn’t feel anything. I was training in my room like normal, on the bike. I didn’t have any symptoms, cold, nothing. I didn’t understand anything,” he said.

“The test said I was infected. The only thing I wanted was not to be a problem for my team-mates or my family. I had to do it (isolate) because my missus wasn’t infected. That’s the only thing I wanted: not to be a problem for them or for the team. All the players, staff, people who work around us, they all have their own families.”

Fornals has a big smile on his face when he sits down in the offices at West Ham’s Rush Green training centre, the morning after defeating Norwich City. The aches in the legs have not arrived yet, but that could come the next day when the adrenaline from a victory wears off. He has become more of a Londoner since his last interview. It is not just the Victoria Park bike rides. There are little phrases in his speech and he speaks English with confidence. Hammers fans have taken to him too, chanting how their midfielder “eats paella, he drinks Estrella”.

“It’s really funny and I couldn’t believe it when I heard for the first time. I’m really happy,” he said. “It’s not easy, arrive in a new country, new team. My first year here wasn’t as good as how I’m playing , and how everything is right now.

“So at the end to have this chant and having this expression with the fans is, for me, massive.”

After playing at Villarreal, he is now at a Premier League club seemingly punching above their weight as they compete with the super-power teams. The players are starting to get recognition and Fornals expects Jarrod Bowen to have an England chance soon.

“Jarrod deserves this,” he said. ”Not just now because he’s scoring twice or giving us assists. I think he deserves this chance since the start of the season. He’s been massive for us all season, last season as well.

“Obviously, I am not the coach, not the England manager, but he at least deserves a chance to wear the Three Lions, and play for his country.”