Slaven Bilic explained that fitness was more important than performance following West Ham United’s 3-0 defeat at Seattle Sounders
- West Ham United were beaten 3-0 at Seattle Sounders in their opening US Tour fixture
- Visitors created plenty of chances but could not score at CenturyLink Field
- Bilic happy Hammers came through the game without suffering any injuries
The Hammers created plenty of chances at CenturyLink Field, only for decisive finishing from American international forwards Herculez Gomez and Jordan Morris to make the difference in front of a 38,585-strong crowd.
With his players only returning to pre-season training on 30 June, Bilic openly admitted prior to the game that he was worried about their fitness, but thankfully all 21 who featured in the Pacific Northwest came through unscathed.
“OK a game is a game and in every game the result is important, but basically we only started training a few days ago and we are in the process of hard training, so for me the most important thing was to get through without anyone being injured and make it a good training,” the manager told the media at his post-match press conference.
“It was maybe a bit too early to run long distances on a big pitch, so we tried to avoid those long distances by keeping a good shape and keeping the ball, but in the second half the game was stretched all over the pitch, which is excellent in the end if nobody gets injured.
“Nobody got injured, so in that regard I am quite pleased, but of course the result tempered that. In the end, it was a good training exercise and we will gain fitness from this game.”
Nobody got injured, so in that regard I am quite pleased, but of course the result tempered that
West Ham may have been beaten, but there were reasons to be happy, not least the performances of debutants Sofiane Feghouli and Antonio Martinez, who both came within a whisker of opening their accounts.
Bilic also paid tribute to the Sounders, who showed ability and determination to overcome an English Premier League side for the first time in their history.
Sigi Schmid’s side may not be having their best season in the MLS, but the best-supported team in the United States still possess players of international class in the shape of Austria striker Andreas Ivanschitz, goalscorer and US attackers and goalscorers Herculez Gomez and Jordan Morris.
“They are good team in a good championship, and by the end they were in better form and better shape,” the manager observed. “They have got good players from Europe, from the Bundesliga, and of course they have Clint Dempsey, even if he didn’t play.
“They had players who were really up for it, like the striker who came on. He’s a good player and their leading scorer from the left wing. They were a solid, compact team and this is the MLS and we expected it, to be fair.”
Next up for the Hammers is the second and final fixture of the US Tour at NASL side Carolina RailHawks on Tuesday 12 July.
West Ham kick-off the Premier League season at Chelsea on Saturday 13 August.
Bilic also paid tribute to the Sounders, who showed ability and determination to overcome an English Premier League side for the first time in their history.
Sigi Schmid’s side may not be having their best season in the MLS, but the best-supported team in the United States still possess players of international class in the shape of Austria striker Andreas Ivanschitz, goalscorer and US attackers and goalscorers Herculez Gomez and Jordan Morris.
“They are good team in a good championship, and by the end they were in better form and better shape,” the manager observed. “They have got good players from Europe, from the Bundesliga, and of course they have Clint Dempsey, even if he didn’t play.
“They had players who were really up for it, like the striker who came on. He’s a good player and their leading scorer from the left wing. They were a solid, compact team and this is the MLS and we expected it, to be fair.”
Next up for the Hammers is the second and final fixture of the US Tour at NASL side Carolina RailHawks on Tuesday 12 July.
West Ham kick-off the Premier League season at Chelsea on Saturday 13 August.