Josh Cullen: I’ll always give 100 per cent for the West Ham shirt, even if it means losing a tooth or two

Exclusive: Star hoping for FA Cup start despite gruesome injury in first game
Battling spirit: Josh Cullen back in training
West Ham United via Getty Images
Ken Dyer16 January 2018

At around the same time on Monday as David Moyes and his senior squad were out on the training pitch, tuning up before Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury, Josh Cullen was flat out in the dentist’s chair.

The one enduring image from what was a generally dismal West Ham performance in a goalless draw in the first match, was the gruesome sight of one of the 21-year-old midfield player’s front teeth flying through the air after he had been kicked in the face.

It is to Cullen’s considerable credit that, with his missing tooth being retrieved from the pitch, another damaged and a lip bleeding heavily, he went back on to finish the match.

Cullen has been at West Ham since he was nine but has been loaned out in recent seasons, twice to Bradford City and this season to Bolton.

He was recalled from Bolton, along with defender Reece Burke, for the first match against Shrewsbury and, providing Monday’s root canal treatment went smoothly, has an excellent chance of being involved again on Tuesday, in what will be his competitive debut at the London Stadium.

“Originally my dental appointment was the day after [the Shrewsbury] game,” said Cullen. “But when we contacted the dentist he said it needed to be done on Monday to give him the best chance of saving the teeth. I made sure beforehand that it wouldn’t affect my chances of being selected for the game. There was no way I wanted to miss that chance.

“The tooth that everyone who was watching saw come flying out needs to be secured and another tooth has been pushed back and has some damage.

“Richard Weiler, the club doctor, did brilliantly to save the tooth, keeping it ‘alive’ by putting it in milk. Straight after the game I went to hospital where the treatment I received was also fantastic.

“They managed to get the tooth back in with a splint which gave me a fighting chance of saving it.

Cullen had two teeth kicked out in the 0-0 draw with Shrewsbury 
Getty Images

“It wasn’t the first time I’ve been whacked in the mouth. I was playing for the West Ham Under-21s a couple of years back and I took an elbow in the face and the same front tooth dropped a bit. There was some residual damage obviously so when I got the kick in the mouth this time it just came flying out!

“The tooth itself hasn’t been too painful, just numb really. I also had a few stitches in my lip which was more sore. Thankfully eating hasn’t been a problem though, I’m just having to cut the food up into smaller pieces.

“I’m hoping that, for Tuesday’s match if I play, I will have a gum-shield in place as protection.

“Some might call it brave to go back on afterwards, others stupid but that’s the way I am. If I can battle through things, then I will and it takes a lot for me to leave the pitch or even miss a day’s training.

“If it means losing a tooth or two, then so be it. I’ll always try to carry on and give 100 per cent for the shirt.”

Cullen is convinced that his loan spells have helped him mature, both as a player and a person. “You go through the academy and everything is good and you’re at a big club,” he said.

“Then you go out on loan and it’s an eye-opening experience, You have to grow up in all senses, on and off the pitch. You have to fend for yourself, do your own shopping and washing.

“On the pitch it’s similar. Bradford were a big club in League One. We were getting crowds of more than 17,000 up there so you go from playing in front of a few hundred in an Under-23 game to playing in front of a packed home stadium where three points means everything to everyone there.

“Bolton this season has been tough. We’re just outside the relegation zone at the moment and it’s been a scrap for the six months I’ve been there.

“It’s a great learning curve, though, and I believe it’s important for the majority of young players to go out and have a similar experience. There’s a big, wide world of football out there.”

Learning curve: Cullen has been on loan at Bolton this season
West Ham United via Getty Images

Cullen is back at the parental home in Wickford, Essex at the moment but there’s no doubt about his main goal.

“I’m back home, having my dinners cooked for and my washing done which is nice,” he said.

“Hopefully, if selected against Shrewsbury I can impress,” he said. “I want to be a West Ham player so I’ll do everything I possibly can to prove myself.”

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