West Ham manager Graham Potter believes Niclas Fullkrug’s recent outburst was not “helpful to the club” and he would prefer players to voice concerns behind closed doors.
Germany striker Fullkrug accused several of his team-mates of not listening to Potter after West Ham conceded a late equaliser at home to already-relegated Southampton last weekend.
The 32-year-old said he was “very angry” about his team-mates’ lack of motivation.
“I think he [Fullkrug] wears his heart on his sleeve,” Potter said on Thursday before West Ham’s trip to Brighton on Saturday.
“I would disagree with him in some things and agree with him in others.
“But he’s entitled to his opinion. As a senior player, we’ve had lots of honest conversations. And I think for me it’s better to have the conversations in private, not in public.
“Then as a group we move forward. That’s how it is. You need to be honest. You need to be able to say what you think. That’s for sure. And then you have to think about the team as well.
“We have a responsibility to the team and the club. And from my perspective, sometimes I could be honest about how I really feel. But I don’t think it’s helpful to the players. I don’t think it’s helpful to the club.
“So, we all have to be aware of our responsibilities as well.”
West Ham have collected just 13 points from 13 league games since Potter took charge in January, leaving them 17th in the Premier League table.
The Hammers travel to 10th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
