Convention League last ‘surreal’ as Moyes targets West Ham historical past
The Hammers tackle Fiorentina in Prague in search of to finish the membership’s 43-year look ahead to a significant trophy, a run which stretches again to the 1980 FA Cup last.
Moyes is but to win main silverware in his profession however has a level of expertise of such showpiece events, having labored for Uefa’s technical committee throughout varied spells out of administration.
As a part of the position, the Scot noticed quite a few main European finals and nonetheless works for the governing physique throughout some main worldwide tournaments. In Prague, nonetheless, he’ll lastly have his personal second within the highlight.
“It’s slightly surreal,” Moyes stated. “I’m very fortunate that Uefa over the years have helped me when I wasn’t in work. I’ve watched a lot of football, all the big games, was part of their technical committee.
“But to turn up today as a manger and have your own dressing room, to know that your team is performing here, is a big thrill for me. I really hope I can take it to the next level, which is winning, but I’m up against a really good opponent and I know it’ll be a tough game.”
Moyes has needed to journey out important waves of criticism this season amid West Ham’s Premier League struggles and has greater than as soon as appeared on the point of the sack.
The Irons ultimately pulled effectively away from relegation and in an exclusive interview with Standard Sport this week, Moyes insisted he intends to remain in his publish subsequent season, no matter Wednesday evening’s end result.
“It’s great to be sitting here in the first place,” Moyes added. “To be in European final for any manager is a thrill whether you’re an experienced or a very young, it’s one of the pinnacles you can get in football as a coach.
“When you start out, it’s a case of: ‘Can you reach a final?’. Hopefully it’s the start. I’ve always said I think the best years are to come, but I’m certainly enjoying this one at the moment, enjoying the moment and being here with everybody.”
Moyes would develop into solely the third supervisor in West Ham historical past to carry silverware, following within the footsteps of John Lyall and Ron Greenwood. The 60-year-old might additionally add to a lineage of nice Scottish managers to have gained European trophies, with no British coach having managed the feat since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final Champions League success with Manchester United 14 years in the past. Moyes, nonetheless, says he’s not enthusiastic about his legacy.
Legacy: West Ham face a date with future on Wednesday evening
/ Getty Images“I don’t think of myself as any different to anyone else in this room,” he stated. “I’m really fortunate and privileged and thankful to be given an opportunity to be a football manage and to have the opportunity to go this far in my career and be on stage like this. I think it’s really special.
“I don’t ever really think of myself as being a legend or any words like that. I’d just like to be known as a football manager and one who’s serious about his job and tries to do the best he possibly can, week-in week-out try to prepare my teams to be competitive. I’d like to be known as much for that as much as I would the word legend, really.”