Jarrod Bowen is feeling refreshed, recharged and ready to go, having enjoyed the rarity of an extended summer break before he and his West Ham United teammates reported back for the start of pre-season ahead of the 2025/26 campaign on Monday.
The Hammers’ captain enjoyed one of his longest holidays in recent memory after two years of pretty much non-stop football and kicked off the post-season by tying the knot with partner Dani Dyer at a wedding ceremony in Buckinghamshire in May.
Having enjoyed some quality time with his new wife, children, family and friends, Bowen, who netted 13 times for the Hammers in the Premier League in 2024/25, says his excitement was palpable as handshakes, embraces and laughter once again filled Rush Green on Monday.
After a morning of medical testing followed by a first training session on the pitches in the afternoon, a revitalised Bowen sat down to discuss a host of subjects, from his summer to our upcoming Premier League opener against Sunderland in August, and maybe more importantly, why he and the rest of the Hammers squad are feeling excited ahead of Graham Potter’s first pre-season as Head Coach…
Firstly, Jarrod, welcome back! How are you feeling? Fit and fresh and ready to go?
“Yeah, definitely ready to go. It's always nice to have a bit of time off and mentally switch off from football for a few weeks and go and see your family, see your friends and spend time with them. It's been a really good break for me, and I've been able to see my family that I haven't seen for a while.
“It was just very, very chilled seeing loved ones, and I think it's important to spend that time with them and have that time away from football. I also got married to my partner Dani, which was incredibly special, and I feel like I've done everything I needed to during the break.
“Now we’re looking forward to what should be a really exciting season. We've got an exciting couple of camps coming up as well in Germany and the United States, which will be really exciting for us, and we want to try and build as much as possible in the time that we have now before the season, both in our work on the pitch and off the pitch.
"We have to be ready, and we have to be listening and be willing to work every day now until the season starts.”
It is a fresh start for everyone and the first full pre-season under the Head Coach. We can all really sense that at Rush Green and around the Club. It's nice to look at the future with a lot of positivity, isn't it?
"When you come back in [after some time off], you have that excitement of seeing people that you haven't seen for a few weeks.
"I think it's just a sense of enjoyment from everyone. We’ve got players back that have been out on loan, and some of the Academy players that were also out on loan have been integrated with the squad today (Monday), so it was nice to see them as well, and it’s an opportunity for them to impress the Head Coach and his staff.
"He (Graham Potter) has got a full pre-season now where everyone's going to be involved, so it's an exciting time to have a pre-season with this manager and see what we can do. Everyone has come back hungry and ready to put the work in from day one up until the season starts.”
What have you been up to on the first day back?
"It was just a day of different tests from the medical team, and we were in the gym as well. We were also outside for a little bit to see where we were at after our summer breaks.
"We know it's always difficult in pre-season, and we were all looking forward to getting a touch of the balls as quickly as possible and getting that coordination back, because you have four or five weeks off of not training every day, and you can soon lose a bit of coordination. It was a really good first day.”
As a player, what are you hoping to get out of this pre-season and the tours?
"I think the main thing in pre-season is just staying fit. I put the work in during the off-season, so I feel good after the first day. I think for me it's just about staying fit, staying healthy and keeping working hard every single day, and that's always been my mindset right from when I started, putting the work in the off-season so you're not playing catch-up when you're here.
"I want to be in a good spot when the season starts at Sunderland in six weeks’ time.”
You scored 14 goals in all competitions last season and finished the season really strongly. No one ended the season in better form than you in the Premier League. You will be happy with your return, but we know you’re always striving for more?
"Yes, exactly. I think goals always come with the way I play football. I think I've done that since I've certainly been here.
"It's trying to have a better season as a team more than anything as well. I think we want to achieve a lot more, and we're building to that right now as we speak. The first day of pre-season is looking forward to the season ahead.
"We're already looking at Sunderland and want to make sure we hit the ground running on the first game of the season because we need to be better, and we want to be better as well.”
What feeling do you get about the season ahead?
"A lot of positive thoughts. We’re definitely excited because we've got some younger guys coming back from loans who did really well last year at different clubs that they had, and seeing them integrated into the group will be brilliant.
"There’s definitely excitement for the season ahead. The Head Coach has got a full pre-season to work with us, and we have some really good fixtures coming up.
"We’ve got a really good test against Grasshopper Club Zürich and then three really exciting fixtures at the Premier League Summer Series, before finishing with a game at the London Stadium against LOSC Lille.
"I don't think you can replicate that feeling of a Premier League game, and that feeling when we do get it will be really special.
"I'm excited for the season, always excited. We've got a lot to prove as well because last season wasn't the season that we wanted to achieve. Now it's down to us to answer the questions that will be asked and put it right this season, and we want to be pushing up into those European places again and bring European football back to London Stadium in competitions that we've had some great success in.”
Are you already thinking about Sunderland on the opening day and making a good start?
"Absolutely! The hard work has already started.
"In the back of your mind, you are thinking of that first game against Sunderland. We have to be ready for the challenge that's going to be Sunderland.
"I know people always say you take one day at a time and what have you, but ultimately our season starts with Sunderland away, and we want to go there and win the game. We want to win as many games as possible this season, and the first game of the season is something we're all looking towards.
"You want to be in the starting XI, and that goes for everyone here. The manager can only name eleven players in the side, but everyone's going to be knocking on the door to be involved and to be starting, and I think that's what you want from the group.”
