Even though his mother got 'very angry' with his staggering pay-cut, West Ham winter signing Mido explained why he sacrificed £47,000 per week to make the 'most important' move of his career. The Egypt striker, who spent the past six months on loan with Zamalek from Middlesbrough, joined the Hammers on an exceptional five-month deal worth £1,000 -a-week. But he doesn't seem to be concerned with money as he reiterated his desire to play football and prove a point in England, following poor stints with Boro and Wigan. The 27-year-old, who has been often criticized for being out of fitness, hopes his Hammers switch would help him atone for his stumbling in recent years. Mido also revealed that he turned down lucrative offers from other clubs in January for the sake of joining Gianfranco Zola's side. Very Angry ! "I agreed I would play for a grand a week, which I know will make me one of the poorest-paid players in the league. But, to be honest, I didn't consider the money at all," Mido said in an interview with Sport of the World. "Sometimes you have to look to the future and I believe I am investing in myself. It's true I am losing a lot because I am on loan from Middlesbrough and I should be on £48,000 a week. "It's a massive drop and my mother was very angry with me for agreeing to it. "But I've made mistakes in the past and I know it is the right decision for me now. "I've earned a lot of money over the past few years and now I've got a point to prove to myself and the West Ham supporters. "Some people think footballers are greedy and blow all their money. But some of us are normal people who are decent and who just want to do their best for themselves and their family. "I want to prove a point to people and this is the most important five months of my career. If it works out then I would like to stay for the next three or four years and then I can sign a proper contract!" Bad Reputation
"I have had a bad reputation, but now it's time for me to put things right," the former Tottenham hitman added. "I'm here at West Ham and I want people to say Mido is the real deal - even if I don't play a single game. "It was important for me to get it right. I needed to come back to the Premier League to a big club and to work very hard. "I actually thought it was a fair deal because I've been playing in Egypt and no one has seen me." Best Option "Another team from the Championship made me an offer, through my lawyer Liz Ellen, with a £400,000 signing on fee, but I am only looking at the football," he added. "Two other Premier League clubs and a foreign team also wanted to sign me on big money. But I chose West Ham it is the best option for me. "West Ham are a big club with a great history and I know the passion and the ambition of the supporters." Zola Impact "I knew a lot about the manager, Gianfranco Zola, of course. He's a legend and I'm very happy to be working with him now," Mido concluded. "Another Premier League club told me I would be their No.1 striker, but Zola didn't. "He didn't even guarantee me a place in the team at all. But the reason I accepted his challenge was because when I looked him in the eye, I thought he was a very honest man. "He told me the truth, said what he really thought. Other managers give you a lot of bull**** to get you in and when you are there it is a totally different story. "But after what he told me, I don't think Zola really expected me to join the club."
