Jarrod Bowen’s off-season was a little bit different to most of his teammates.
While his fellow UEFA Europa Conference League winners went away with friends and loved ones on exotic travels to warmer climates, West Ham United’s immortalised match-winner stayed a bit closer to home.
With his own young family now to care for, he would not have had it any other way.
“This summer was a bit different for me but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” the new father said. “With the two baby twin girls, who are now six weeks old, I didn’t go anywhere!
“None of these holidays for me. I was local for the off-season, changing nappies and feeding those babies.
“They were born towards the end of the season and then, with the warm-weather training in Portugal and then Prague, I wasn’t with them as much as I would have wanted to be in the first couple of weeks. It was just nice to spend quality time with them. They’re safe and healthy and well.”
It is not an exaggeration to say it has been a life-changing few weeks for the 26-year-old.
After the joy of welcoming his twin daughters into the world, the forward etched his name into Hammers folklore with a last-minute goal in Prague, securing a 2-1 win over ACF Fiorentina and claiming a first trophy for the Club in 43 years.
Celebrations went long into the night and continued back in east London. Bowen’s personal party continued into the off-season too, relishing the moment and reliving his eternal highlight.
“We were back in for pre-season training on 6 July, so the celebrations went on to about 4 July,” he laughed. “It was the best. Those first couple of days, being out there and then coming back for the parade, were unreal.
“Then we’re into the off-season and you can celebrate with your family, because not all of them were able to come out to Prague. They were all buzzing and they all had the medal on around the house, arguing over who was wearing it the most.”
It still does not feel quite real, even over four weeks on from that special night at Eden Aréna.
Lucas Paquetá’s creative, flicked pass, into Bowen’s run. Time seemingly slowing almost to a complete stop as the No20 held off Igor’s challenge. His low shot clipping Pietro Terracciano and bobbling goal-bound, willed across the line by the raucous Claret and Blue Army.
“I just had so much time,” Bowen reflected. “I knew the space was there and I knew Lucas would play the ball.
“I was through and, when you’re in the moment, you don’t normally have a lot of time to think. But I had a bit of time and I thought ‘I’ve got to score this’.
“When I hit it, I fell on the floor, and I looked up to see the ball dribbling in. I just didn’t know what to do. Every emotion was going through me and I don’t think that feeling will ever be topped.”
With the 2022/23 season ending in such dramatic, incredible scenes, attention now turns to 2023/24.
Bowen and his fellow Hammers teammates who were not on international duty in June returned to the Rush Green training ground on Thursday, swapping stories from their respective holidays and reigniting tight-knit bonds.
The hard work that comes with pre-season is well underway, under the watchful eye of manager David Moyes.
“There’s no leeway! It’s all about getting fit for the new season now. It was a long season, with it going into June, so I think the manager knew it was important for us to have a good rest, recuperate and switch off from football for a bit.
“But the hard work has started again, and pre-season is never easy. You know what to expect and you do your work in the off-season, even when you’re having a rest, cause you need to keep yourself ticking over.”
After a first match of the pre-season schedule, versus National League side Boreham Wood on Monday evening, Bowen and the West Ham squad will head Down Under for a tour of Australia.
Fixtures against A-League outfit Perth Glory and fellow Premier League Londoners Tottenham Hotspur await the Irons at Optus Stadium, and Bowen is excited for the prospect of continuing the new campaign preparations immersed in a different culture.
Even more rousing is the prospect of meeting West Ham fans from the area. The attacker can not wait to get going.
“I’ve never been to Australia before and I’m excited to go! It’s such a long way on the plane for us that I think it can be a bit off-putting for people from England, having to sit on a plane for that long, but that is the only reason I’ve never been.
“I see the comments on social media from fans in Australia, telling us they are tuning in during the middle of the night to watch our matches, and it puts into perspective how big this Club is and how much it means to everyone. I hope we can see as many Australian fans as possible while we’re out there. I’m looking forward to it and we’ve got two good games to prepare for as well.”
