David Moyes
West Ham travel to Austria this week to take on Rapid Vienna in the Europa League knowing that a win will seal top spot in Group H and progress to the last-16 in March.
David Moyes said: “I thought they [UEFA] left it [the decision] late and they must have reasons why they’ve done it. For us at West Ham, there’s too many good things going on. I’m not letting it get in the way of anything we’re doing at the moment. I want a new club, I want a fresh club which is going to try and challenge all the teams in Europe and in the Premier League. What I do need is big support behind me everywhere I go.”
Prior to confirmation of a full national lockdown in Austria, Moyes gave his thoughts on the ban handed to the West Ham supporters.
David Moyes said: “I was really disappointed because our away support has been brilliant in the Premier League and away in Europe. We’re really surprised and shocked to hear supporters can’t travel. But we’re a new club and we don’t want to go back, we want to be in Europe and we want people to look forward to West Ham coming to play. I see Premier League teams who are in Europe and in the Champions League every year and I don’t see any trouble coming from their supporters. Whether they travel to Madrid, Paris or wherever, I want to be one of those clubs who does that every season. We have to make sure we’re a club that people want to have and we need the supporters to see that. We have to move on.”
Moyes has previously pleaded with the Hammers fan base to behave when in Europe and touched on a personal note for emphasis.
David Moyes said: “We want to be welcomed all over Europe. Not only to get into the tournaments but we want to be invited to the competitions or the pre-season tournaments that take place, whether they are in Germany or anywhere else. We want to be a club that people want to invite because of the football and because of the support. But I’ll tell you another reason. My dad, my wife and my family are all going to travel to all the away games to support West Ham. My dad’s eighty-odd and I want him to feel that he can go and have a few beers with the supporters. I want him to feel he can get to games and feel there’s no problem. So wherever that is, that’s the way we want it to be.”
