David Moyes
The London Stadium atmosphere just seems to be getting better and better every time you play.
Yes, and the team does as well it gets better and better so I hope the players keep it going and we continue to improve but it’s the start of a long journey to try and challenge the top teams and we’re just beginning to make a little bit of impact in it but obviously a long way to go.
A couple of players injured and a growing injury list right now. How much of a concern is that?
Well, I’m sure it’s the same concern as for every team in the Premier League because I think you will probably see a week of probably more injuries than I think the people who put the games together will have liked to have seen in the Premier League, but that’s the way the fixtures have gone, and that’s what happens. it gives people opportunities and you need people to step up as well. But injuries are part and parcel of football and we will get some and so will other clubs as well.
How important has Zouma been since his arrival to the club in the summer?
He’s been very good for us and I think everybody’s been impressed. He’s come with the experience we expected from a player who has come from Chelsea who are Champions League winners last year and obviously he has Premier League experience. So, of course, he would be a big miss for anybody and he is a big miss for us. But we’ve got other players who helped get us in Europe last year available and ready to play so hopefully they will be good.
Does the growing injury list change your plans for January?
No not really. But obviously, we’ve picked up a few injuries to some defenders so that could make us look differently. I think we had hopefully been looking to add a forward player but we had a problem with that even in the summer window, where we were trying but there was nothing there and that’s not to say there would be anything there in January. So I think it will mean that we have to start maybe considering looking for a defender if possible but we will see how it goes because there’s nothing decided yet.
There is talk of a potential Covid passport coming in for fans is that something you would be supportive of or is that a little bit more of a restriction for fans coming into watch football?
I do feel that I think we’re getting to a stage now where, you know, we don’t want any more Covid. There have been too many deaths throughout the world. I think we need to try and make sure we try and eliminate it the best we can. I think if I was a football supporter, I’d want to go and sit next to somebody who I know had been vaccinated and gives me the best chance of not contracting the virus. I’m a football supporter, I watch games and I really want to go to games, I want to keep going, I think the crowds are so important to football. And I know that people have a right to make their own choices and I respect that. But I actually think it’s something now which we would seriously have to consider because if I was a supporter I’d really would want to go to a game next to someone who I knew had been vaccinated.
Is it going to be a lot of youngsters tomorrow?
Not a lot of youngsters but we will play some young players and I’m really looking forward to giving some of them their debuts. I’m also excited for them, I’m also nervous for them because I think that’s what it is when you give some young players opportunities you’re so keen for them to do well and you know their families will be coming to watch them play so from that point of view yes we’ll have some young players in the team undoubtedly but we’ll have a lot of senior players in the team as well.
Last season, particularly Liverpool got badly damaged by the injuries but also almost a wallowing in self-pity about losing such key players. How do you stop that and how important is it that you don’t allow that to happen at West Ham?
Well, I normally wouldn’t talk about it but if I get asked questions, I have to answer them or attempt to answer them but I tend to just try and take it in my stride obviously I’m disappointed if we have injuries but I try not to talk too much about it and concentrate and focus on the boys who have come in. It’s a great opportunity for a couple of young players to come and impress but also it gives a couple of people who may have not been quite regulars in the team a chance to show exactly what they can do.
January’s famously a very difficult time to go and get exactly who you want. With the number of games do you see it as something you need to get done quickly or would you rather go further with the two senior boys?
There are two parts to that. The first is we might not get one. If we could get one, would I try and get him early? Yes, I would. But the truth is we might not get one or might not get what we want. I will need to try and balance exactly what would be best for us. I’ll see what we think the recovery time of players coming back is as well, that could have an influence on whether we need to take somebody immediately or if we think we can wait a bit later in January.
What have you made of Kral’s start as a West Ham player?
Him being unwell where there was a period of two or three games which would have maybe given him a better opportunity to play. He probably caught it when he came back from the national break and picked it up, which was disappointing for him because he is vaccinated. So it wasn’t somebody who was unvaccinated but hopefully he’ll get opportunities as we go along. We always knew he was someone who we would be bringing in as cover and backup and he’d have to wait a little bit of time. So he will get a chance to play tomorrow night and we’ll have a look at him tomorrow night as well.
The atmosphere has been brilliant on European nights, does it feel like home now?
I think we’re talking about it as home now. I think we’re more used to it and sometimes that can just be taking a few years to settle in as much as anything. But I think most people would always say that results always change things and make it work much better. The results have been much better at home. The stadium has been great and my understanding is we’ll probably have very close to 50,000 at the game tomorrow night which is great. The supporters are turning up in their numbers and really, hopefully enjoying the way the team are playing.
With Kurt being injured is this a great chance for Issa Diop to impress?
Issa is a really big part of the squad he always has been and I’ve never considered him as anything else than a West Ham player and a first-team player. So I see him having a big chance to show exactly what he can do.
You have given 10 players their debuts, how happy are you the young players are knocking on the door?
Well, the young players at the moment deserve any opportunities they get because they have been doing so well. Certainly since the start of the season. So some of them will get chance to step up and show what they can do. And all I can ask is it that they are well supported and well backed. It’s really good when you give young players an opportunity but then when you’re a young player it’s your chance to grab something and hopefully make the most of it.
Would you be a bit concerned about handing debuts to a lot of young defenders and how it might affect their confidence if you conceded a couple of goals?
Yes, I agree with that but then also how often do you get the chance to give boys opportunities in games? It is very difficult in the Premier League. Very difficult unless the cup draws are really good for you. We have earned the right in the group stages to give some young players an opportunity we completely understand the integrity of the competition, and we’ll do everything we can to go as strong as we possibly can. But I also think that this is a great chance for us to see if those young players can step up to the mark.
Is playing experienced players such as Noble and Areola a way to help the young players through?
Yes, I think the experienced players you would hope would help manage them. But I also think that the young players are the ones who have got to stand up it’s an opportunity for them. But I also think that if I was a young player, at the moment, I would say West Ham look as if they’re giving the young players opportunities at the right time. There are other clubs where young players don’t get opportunities so we’re trying to give them that chance. We’ve made the opportunity to do so, so I think that’s all you can do and then you have to see for yourself what ones can make the step. We won’t judge them on one game but as we well know, one game playing very well can make a big difference to what’s ahead of you.
How long are you expecting Zouma and Johnson to be out for?
I don’t know exactly yet. But we’re not feeling it’s as bad as we first thought that’s for sure. For both of them.
Porto, Dortmund and Leipzig and one of Benfica or Barcelona will be in the Europa League. Does that give another dimension to the competition?
Totally and I knew this was coming. I was watching the games last night and trying to work out the teams who were coming back into the competition. I had a giggle a few weeks ago when people were talking about West Ham being favourites and then we see the teams coming back into it. So the level of competition in the Europa League is so big and the teams dropping down make it so difficult but I think at the moment we are happy to take on and challenge whoever we get. I think it will be our experience which might be something we are a little bit short of but hopefully, we’ll be ready when the game comes around in March.
Do you still get a buzz when you get to tell teenagers they will be making their debut? Do you tell them on the training ground?
It differs for everyone. I don’t think it’s the same for them all and sometimes you’re better not saying too much and just letting them go on with it and be normal. Other times you want to make a slightly bigger deal about it but I think probably there are a few boys who are probably hoping that they will get the opportunity and some of them will.
Do you feel that the club has earned the respect that you believe it deserves?
I think we’re on the way. I don’t think we are fully there yet. I think people are probably looking at how we do this season. To see if we can back up what we did last year where we obviously qualified for Europe. I think there’ll be a lot of people in the media who have followed West Ham over a long long time will probably have a bigger history and bigger knowledge of West Ham than I do. So I think there’ll be a few looking to see if we can keep it going. I think we started the season better than we finished last season. I think we’re trying to challenge the Joneses at the top of the league and keep up with them and I think at the moment we’re doing okay, but I think I’m mindful of stepping above my station too soon. So that’s why I probably have a little bit of a pause when answering just as much as that to say I think we’ve got a bit to do before we maybe prove to all the people out there that we are in it all the time. I think we’re certainly competitive and competing at this moment so if we can keep that going all season I would hope that flaky title, that maybe inconsistent title may go away a little bit.
Are you hoping that your season isn’t wrecked by Covid because there are many things you can control and that’s one that is beyond anyone’s control?
I think that all you can do is attempt to do the best we possibly can. When we help the players in our care, we wear masks, we’re washing our hands, we’re trying to keep our distance in the training ground. We’re in our bubble as much as we can. We’re trying to do things correctly. So I hope that we can keep it going. Unfortunately, I think it’s not just in football clubs where there is Covid there’s Covid in worldwide situations. But I think football clubs will always be looked at because everybody’s so keen for us to keep the football going and keep everybody entertained with the football. So it’s really important that we are doing as many of the right things as we possibly can.
Do you believe that players now look at Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal and even Jesse Lingard last season and realise West Ham is a place that makes players better?
I’ve got plenty of top agents putting good players to me. That tends to be a sign that people are beginning to think you’re attractive. I think West Ham is a huge club in London, if we can keep up this level… We’ve got a great England international, Czech Republic players in the team. We’ve got more international players in the team than before. I hope that we’re growing and improving. Two years ago when I came in the job was to get the team going in the right direction then see if we can start to build and grow the club. There are signs of new shoots coming up and hopefully we can keep it going.
What are your thoughts on Dinamo Zagreb?
Well, I believe that Dinamo Zagreb are a huge European club with great history. You only need to see the results against Tottenham last season to see how good a team they are and I know there have been a few changes, but they are a huge name when you say Dinamo Zagreb, everybody knows exactly who you’re talking about in Europe. So I’ve got great respect for them because they qualify for European competition most seasons. They’ve got experience so for us to go and win in Zagreb was such a starter for us in the group. It was a huge part of our building that we could go and win in Zagreb, because of the experience Dinamo has so I see it as a big game, big opponent, big history and we will need a big performance to get another result.
Bruno Petokoviv is not in London, what do you think of him as a player?
I think it’s helpful that he’s not here because he is a really good player. We were very careful of him in the first game. We knew the way he links up play for Dinamo is really important. I think he’s one of the big players and obviously one of the Croatian internationals as well but we’re well aware that it will also give other players opportunities to come in and maybe they’re ready to play and show what they can do.
Can we expect Nikola Vlasic to play tomorrow?
We like Nikki a lot, I think he’s taken a little bit of time to settle. I think the more games we can get him .. and he’ll get plenty of game time in the future because of the situation with the games and the amount of games we have to play through the winter here in England. So yes, he’ll play tomorrow night. He played in the first game and he played well for us. So we’ll give him the opportunity to show it again. So for us we understand what it means for the group. So we are going to try and be strong. I want to win the group, which we have done but I want to go through unbeaten. I want to try and get three points. It’s really important for us to keep momentum going. Because I also know that it’s important for Dinamo as well because they have a chance of qualifying tomorrow night as well.
