Maximilian Kilman says West Ham United’s game against Grasshopper Club Zürich on Saturday will help the squad hit the ground running this season.
The ever-present defender, who started all 38 Premier League matches in 2024/25, is part of the Hammers’ week-long training camp in the Black Forest of southern Germany, and is feeling fresh and ready to go again as he and his team-mates prepare to kick-off their 2025/26 pre-season schedule.
Graham Potter’s charges will make the short journey from their base near the town of Donaueschingen, as they travel into Switzerland’s largest city, Zürich, to lock horns with Grasshopper at GC/Campus, before then visiting the United States to take on Premier League rivals Manchester United, Everton and AFC Bournemouth as part of the Premier League Summer Series.
Kilman is targeting a strong start to our exciting pre-season schedule, and hopes the Irons can conclude their trip with a positive showing against the 27-times Swiss champions.
“I think it’s been a really positive camp,” stated Kilman.
“We've been able to incorporate plenty of our Academy players and have had the opportunity to work with Malick (El Hadji Malick Diouf) over the last few days.
“The atmosphere has been really good. It's our first pre-season under the Head Coach, so it's exciting that he's got time to really incorporate what he wants to do this season, and we have been able to work on a lot of different things.
“We have a lot of time, and we've been working really hard, so I think we can come off a good week with a positive result and look to progress further into pre-season.
“We aren’t going to be the finished article (against Grasshopper Club Zürich), but it’s about getting the manager’s message across, doing the stuff we have been working on and getting some minutes in the legs.
“It's the beginning of a new season, and the first pre-season game is always important to see how fit you are and get a measure of how strong you are already physically, but it'll be a good test for us.
“We know they’re one of the most successful clubs in Switzerland, and we’re looking forward to playing against opposition from another country, as they have different playing styles. When you come back into the Premier League, you’ll then be more adaptable to different things that might be thrown at you in different games.”
Kilman, who was regularly partnered by Jean-Clair Todibo and Dinos Mavropanos in defence in 2024/25, has relished being part of the five-man defence utilised by Potter, having also played the formation at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was pleased to have played so often during his maiden term in Claret and Blue.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, and it’s something I’m not unfamiliar with, as I played in the same formation a lot at Wolves,” continued Kilman.
“As a defender, my main job is to defend whatever the formation is, and we need to make sure we're more effective when it comes to games.
“Despite a difficult season, where we experienced a lot of change and welcomed a lot of new faces, including myself, I think we managed some of the circumstances really well, and towards the end we finished strongly. I think moving forward we can take a lot of positives into the new campaign.
“I think I had a good season defensively and had a lot to do, so I think it was another positive season, but of course I want to get better individually, and as a team, I want to keep improving and see how far we can really go.”
Potter included 12 Academy of Football players in his 29-man squad currently in Germany, providing a great opportunity for them to learn about life on the road with our first team.
The opportunity to impress in our match against Grasshopper is one the youngsters will be relishing, and Kilman adds that he has been impressed by the Academy players, of which five are defenders, in training so far.
Kilman said: “I think they've worked really hard. They've really got their heads down and have been honest.
“They've tried their best, and I think they've done really well in training, so it's great to have them on board.
“As a young player, which all of us were before, it's a great experience to come and train with first-team players, and we have a good group here, so we've been guiding them and helping them as much as we can, but I think they've done really, really well, and they've stood their ground really well.”
Having spent the 2024/25 season as our No26, Kilman has become our new No3, which had been available since the previous incumbent, Aaron Cresswell, departed east London at the end of last month.
The shirt holds a special place at West Ham, and Kilman revealed he asked his mate if he could wear his No3.
“I had to ask for Cress’ (Aaron Cresswell’s) approval,” Kilman beamed.
“He was at the Club for so long and is one of my best mates, so I couldn't not ask him.
“Thankfully, he said he was happy for me to take it.
“I just wanted to take a new number for the season, and three is a number that I like. Hopefully it’s as successful as it was for him with me.”
