Why Zaha refused to share room with Pepe on national duty

 

Wilfred Zaha was forced to change hotel rooms after sharing with Nicolas Pepe on international duty.

The Crystal Palace star and Arsenal man were partnered while representing Ivory Coast but Zaha swiftly requested a change.

Zaha soon found out that Pepe was a serial snorer  and one that sounded like a motorbike.

“Oh my days. Nicolas Pepe,” he told the OnTheJudy podcast.

“Nicolas Pepe, I asked to leave the room. I went and asked to leave the room because he sounded like a motorbike.

“It was mad. Bro, it was crazy. I was like no, I can’t.

“I had to go out. I remember, these were the first times as well when I went and I was with Nico yeah.

“They let me move and share rooms with Kalou, Salomon Kalou.

“And he was like, ‘bro, I know. I moved myself'”.

The Palace winger has represented the Ivory Coast 18 times, since switching his international allegiance from England in 2016.

Zaha also recalled an on-pitch bust-up with former Manchester United academy star Ravel Morrison with the England U21s.

“He was just getting me mad. He was moving like he was Ronaldinho and the rest of us were just no one,” Zaha said regarding a 5-0 win over Lithuania in 2013.

“He was getting the ball and he was just doing tricks and the only time he passes it if he really needs to.

“We  just stood there with our hands on our hips while he’s going past six Lithuanian players

“It was that easy – the team that we had, we had such good players and we can all do that, we can all hog the ball and go past all of them but we’re not doing it.

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“We’re trying to be professional, play properly but he was just on his own thing.

“I just had enough, I was like ‘what are you doing?’ and out of the blue he just pushed me.

“I’m like ‘are you dumb?’, so I pushed him back and it was just nonsense on the pitch then when you go inside the man is silent.”