The past, present and future will all be evident as West Ham United return to European football at a sold-out Boleyn Ground on Thursday evening
The past, present and future will all be evident as West Ham United return to European football at a sold-out Boleyn Ground on Thursday evening.
The Hammers kick-off the final season at their historic home by hosting Andorran side FC Lusitans in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round – the Club’s first European tie in nine years.
Westley – taking the team on the night at the request of new manager Slaven Bilic, who will watch from the stands – revealed that 16-year-old Reece Oxford, 18-year-old Lewis Page and summer signing Darren Randolph will be handed first-team debuts alongside captain James Tomkins and fellow first-team stars Diafra Sakho, Morgan Amalfitano, Matt Jarvis, Joey O’Brien and Mauro Zarate.
Centre-back Reece Burke and midfielder Diego Poyet will also be involved as West Ham embark on an eleven-month Farewell Boleyn season in front of 35,000 fans, and Westley says his players are relishing the experience.
“This match is a vital ingredient for their progression and that’s all they crave – an opportunity to play in this sort of match,” Westley explained.
“The team will be Darren Randolph in goal, Joey O’Brien, James Tomkins as captain, Reece Burke who has played the last five games in the Premier League, and a young Under-21 left-back Lewis Page, who we like.
“In front of them will be Morgan Amalfitano, Matt Jarvis, Diego Poyet and Reece Oxford at 16 years of age, and up front Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho.
“It’s a 35,000 sell-out and there is not a seat to be had. Even the players can’t get tickets!”
The Hammers kick-off the final season at their historic home by hosting Andorran side FC Lusitans in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round – the Club’s first European tie in nine years.
Westley – taking the team on the night at the request of new manager Slaven Bilic, who will watch from the stands – revealed that 16-year-old Reece Oxford, 18-year-old Lewis Page and summer signing Darren Randolph will be handed first-team debuts alongside captain James Tomkins and fellow first-team stars Diafra Sakho, Morgan Amalfitano, Matt Jarvis, Joey O’Brien and Mauro Zarate.
Centre-back Reece Burke and midfielder Diego Poyet will also be involved as West Ham embark on an eleven-month Farewell Boleyn season in front of 35,000 fans, and Westley says his players are relishing the experience.
“This match is a vital ingredient for their progression and that’s all they crave – an opportunity to play in this sort of match,” Westley explained.
“The team will be Darren Randolph in goal, Joey O’Brien, James Tomkins as captain, Reece Burke who has played the last five games in the Premier League, and a young Under-21 left-back Lewis Page, who we like.
“In front of them will be Morgan Amalfitano, Matt Jarvis, Diego Poyet and Reece Oxford at 16 years of age, and up front Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho.
“It’s a 35,000 sell-out and there is not a seat to be had. Even the players can’t get tickets!”
It’s a 35,000 sell-out and there is not a seat to be had. Even the players can’t get tickets!
West Ham return to action just 39 days after the 2014/15 season ended at Newcastle United, but Westley insists the Hammers are fresh, fit and prepared for the challenge of facing a virtually unknown opponent in the Andorran Primera Divisio runners-up.
“The Club has been very pro-active and the senior management team and myself as a coach have put the plans in place for Europe and decided which players came back earlier and which ones didn’t,” he explained.
“We looked at players who have had injuries and hadn’t taken part in the latter part of last season and those who hadn’t played 15 first-team games and put a group together to report back on 22 June.
“We had ten days to prepare for the game, while the work they were sent home with for the summer was meant to keep them fit, so it was all put in place to make it an easier transition when a new manager was put in place.
“We had a training camp and pre-season organised and it’s worked well. A group went over to Cork to prepare for this game and has flown back, while the rest of the senior players have gone away with Slaven to prepare for the start of the Premier League season.”
While Westley will sit in the dugout, Bilic has been involved in the planning for the Europa League opener since his return to east London three weeks ago, and the Academy Manager expects the new boss to receive a terrific welcome when he is introduced to the crowd on Thursday.
“We’ve got a match in front of 35,000 people who cannot wait to see the team, have not seen European football for nearly ten years and cannot wait to see Slaven,” he confirmed.
“Slaven will be here, he has been with the team in Cork so he knows the players and we have spoken about the team, so it’s very much his first game too.
“There will be a full house and I think the reception Slaven will get will be huge, even bigger than the one he or anyone else expects. There is a really good atmosphere around the Club at the moment and I think the place will be jumping.”
“The Club has been very pro-active and the senior management team and myself as a coach have put the plans in place for Europe and decided which players came back earlier and which ones didn’t,” he explained.
“We looked at players who have had injuries and hadn’t taken part in the latter part of last season and those who hadn’t played 15 first-team games and put a group together to report back on 22 June.
“We had ten days to prepare for the game, while the work they were sent home with for the summer was meant to keep them fit, so it was all put in place to make it an easier transition when a new manager was put in place.
“We had a training camp and pre-season organised and it’s worked well. A group went over to Cork to prepare for this game and has flown back, while the rest of the senior players have gone away with Slaven to prepare for the start of the Premier League season.”
While Westley will sit in the dugout, Bilic has been involved in the planning for the Europa League opener since his return to east London three weeks ago, and the Academy Manager expects the new boss to receive a terrific welcome when he is introduced to the crowd on Thursday.
“We’ve got a match in front of 35,000 people who cannot wait to see the team, have not seen European football for nearly ten years and cannot wait to see Slaven,” he confirmed.
“Slaven will be here, he has been with the team in Cork so he knows the players and we have spoken about the team, so it’s very much his first game too.
“There will be a full house and I think the reception Slaven will get will be huge, even bigger than the one he or anyone else expects. There is a really good atmosphere around the Club at the moment and I think the place will be jumping.”