West Ham boss David Moyes makes Kurt Zouma admission with France set to give star the boot | Football | Sport

West Ham boss David Moyes has avoided a war of words with France boss Didier Deschamps over their contrasting response to the horrific video of defender Kurt Zouma abusing his pet cat. Zouma is expected to be axed from his national team squad following public criticism from Deschamps, although continues to play for the Hammers. 

Moyes stunned fans by selecting Zouma for West Ham’s Premier League clash with Watford on Tuesday.  

It was only 48 hours after footage emerged of the 27-year-old hitting, slapping and kicking his cat.  

West Ham moved quickly to fine Zouma £250,000 – the maximum that can be handed under PFA rules and the equivalent of two weeks’ wages.  

But Moyes defied calls for the centre-back to be dropped from the team and is set to start him again when the East Londoners face Leicester on Sunday. 

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It is a different approach to the one taken by France boss Deschamps, who is set to exclude Zouma from their March fixtures. Zouma has played just 11 times for his national team but is frequently called up by Les Bleus.  

“I was very surprised by Kurt. It is something that is inadmissible, intolerable and cruelty without a name,” Deschamps told French media last week. 

“I’m sure he became aware of it but these images are shocking and unbearable.” 

Moyes, though, has avoided challenging Deschamps. “The French manager has the right to feel as badly as he does. We’re exactly the same,” the Scot said. 

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“But as a team, and him as an individual, we have to expect that.  

“There was a lot of talk about whether we should or shouldn’t play him. The big thing for me was how long do we leave him out – two, four, six games? What would be the period? 

“So he played. It will not make any other game any easier.  

“But I could think of other people in other walks of life who make mistakes and sometimes, nowadays, it seems apologies are not enough to clear things up.”