Kurt Zouma 'extremely remorseful' says David Moyes as he urges public to forgive West Ham defender
Kurt Zouma in action
Hammers boss stands by decision to keep Kurt Zouma involved with West Ham first team.
David Moyes says Kurt Zouma is "extremely remorseful" for abusing his cat and has urged the public to forgive the West Ham centre back.
Zouma is the subject of an investigation after a video emerged of him dropping and kicking his pet.
The RSPCA has taken his cats from him but Moyes has resisted strong public pressure to banish him from the West Ham side over the incident.
"We all make mistakes in life," Moyes said after confirming Zouma will be available for selection against Leicester this weekend.
"The boy is incredibly remorseful. He's incredibly upset at what he did - he did a terrible thing," said Moyes.
"But if it's the case that there's no forgiveness, then… we've all made mistakes and we'll all continue to make mistakes in life.
"We have to give people opportunities. He said he got it wrong, made a big mistake, so I'm hoping people will see it in a different way and see it with forgiveness.
"The club are doing everything they possibly can. We'll send him to the RSPCA who are going to help him, just like if somebody had a drink-driving offence, we'd get them help.
"We'd hope those people would get better and never do that again.
"If you think missing the game is the answer, then would you know how many games you'd say he should miss? What would you think be the right number?
Zouma has been fined the maximum amount by West Ham and the money will be given to animal welfare charities.
"I think the financial side is as heavy as the club can give. I hope that the charities will benefit greatly from it. At the moment we've just come through a pandemic where the charities have struggled.
"I wish this situation had never happened. I wish we weren't even talking about this. But if any good is going to come out of this, then they are going to get a substantial money, the charities.
"I can understand the public's opinion. But I'm also one of the public. I see myself as a football supporter, a human being.
"I understand where everybody else is with this, I really do. I can't condone it, what he's done. But as a football club, and me as a football manager, we are doing what we see fit."
