Reaction to the UEFA Europa Conference League draw
"I've actually just seen it. I've been in doing some work there and I've come out and they've shown me the draw. Good. Good, I'm looking forward to it. Let's say, I think there's some good teams in it. I think we've had quite a difficult draw in our group but looking forward to it."
Anderlecht is a bit of a standout
"Yeah, I think so. I mean look, we'll go back. We actually stayed in Silkeborg last night, or the day before I should say, so we're up there so we know the level of the games we're gonna get in Denmark, which was tough the one we had. We also know that going to Bucharest is not easy either, I've been there before so never easy but anyway, great to be in it and exciting times again."
Good trips for the fans as well
"Yeah, the distances are not too far so I think it's really important that the supporters can try and get to the games relatively easily and hopefully relatively cheaply as well."
READ MORE: David Moyes gives Lucas Paqueta transfer update as West Ham close in on Arsenal target
Those two qualifying games against Viborg, those qualifying games can be quite tricky at times. But did they come at the right time for you to be able to give time for players coming back from injury and also to integrate some of the new signings into the squad?
"Yeah, definitely, I think to get to give the new boys a chance to get playing with us to see a bit more about them. Look, there was a lot of games. If you weren't in it then you would have had League Cup ties which we saw, [you] know most of the Premier League teams have and all the clubs will be using the players that maybe not started yet, a lot of new players will be getting minutes. So the play-off for us was really important and we wanted to get through we wanted to be in the group stages. So we couldn't take many chances. We went strong enough in the games but thankfully the players got a really good result last night, which got us through."
One player who did stand out was Gianluca [Scamacca]. Two starts two goals, is he knocking on the door now for a start Sunday?
"He has been knocking on the door for a while. I think it's getting him not just his fitness and getting him ready but it's getting him ready for Premier League football. So it's a big change. So we have to try and look at him and see what we think the right games for him at the moment, when we think the right opportunity comes around. But certainly we feel as if we've got someone who we're looking forward to working with for a long time so we don't need to rush him. But is he getting ready? Yes. Getting much closer to fitness now."
Does he want to be rushed though?
"I think all players want to be but actually I sense that there's a lot of players who come in wanting a chance to look at it and see it and find out exactly how the team plays and what we want them to do. So that can take a little bit of time as well."
New transfers, what's the latest situation with Lucas Paqueta?
"Probably, I learn as much from Sky as I do from anyone else. The truth is we're waiting on more information. I know we've made a second offer for him and we're hoping to try and get a deal but at the moment I've got no more updates for you."
What sort of qualities does a player like that or can a player like that bring to the side?
"Do you not think that would be a better question after we've got him, if we do get him? No point in talking about a player at another club while we've not got him."
Does being linked to a player of his calibre just show the ambition of the club and also where the level that West Ham's at right now?
"We've really tried to be incredibly ambitious, all through the transfer window, the board the club, all the staff here we've really tried to go ambitious and get good players. We think we've got that, we really do. We're trying to just pull it all together and get it sort of working. But we do think we've brought in some good players. We just needed a little bit of grace to try and get them all going in one direction."
With the transfer window closing next week, is there still room for improvement? Just one of the areas you're looking to improve on.
"Well we brought in a lot of players at the moment probably more than I really want to bring in but I sort of mentioned that last week to my reasons why I thought the changes had to take place. I thought we needed to try and move on, we had to slightly break up what we've had. And we're trying to do that. Again. We're trying to build, build another good team at the moment. But will we do anymore? I'm not sure yet."
There was a report that so far this transfer window there's been £1.5billion spent by Premier League clubs, more than any other season, and obviously, still a week to go in the transfer window. Why do you think so much has been spent this summer?
"Well, I think the prices are dearer. I think sometimes Sky up the price instead of meeting it correct, it's only my opinion, so getting the right players is really important because you know, when you put the prices out of the cost of the players I think that just makes it you know, we are all trying to spend the money wisely as correctly as we can. I think there's been a lot more money about at the top level to spend. And the challenge for the teams to be at the top is so big, you know the quality of the players that some of the teams have signed is so so good so it makes it another difficult Premier League season."
Can I ask you why you think Sky up the value of the values of players?
"I can only give you what I've seen from our players and I know the prices we're actually doing so maybe they just don't have all the correct information in the correct prices."
Looking forward to Sunday. Team News. Is there an update?
"We're getting people back fit. I don't think we've picked up any injuries from our midweek encounter. So hopefully we'll all be ready to go again."
Kurt Zouma, was it good to get him some minutes last night?
"He's had plenty of minutes at the moment. We just felt that we wanted to give him a little, turn his legs over for a while and get them back out there. Yeah."
A comprehensive victory and a clean sheet last night. How much of a boost can your players take for that ahead of Sunday's trip to Aston Villa?
"Well, I hope we take lots of confidence from last night because it was lots of good things. Obviously we're getting goalscorers again and scoring is a big thing. So there were some good signs. But again, as I said before, we are sort of piecing little bits together at the moment. We're trying to pull the team back together. And we've got a really difficult game at Aston Villa."
It's a big game for both sides, the table is still taking shape. We've seen how one positive result can change momentum, look at Manchester United. With that in mind, how important is it that you kick-start your season at Villa Park?
"It's hugely important. We'll do everything we can to get started. We want to play well, we want to win and you know, you need good performances to get results in at the moment of performances haven't been good enough to get the results. So we need to up our performance level. And look, I said a few times we're beginning to see signs of it improving and I hope that we can continue to do that."
Why do you think performances haven't been quite where you want them?
"I think partly due to us not getting everything maybe quite ready. Also, I think that we've lost the centre half which we've got to come in and we lost Craig Dawson as well with an injury. We've not quite had Angelo Ogbonna ready after a cruciate ligament. So we've suddenly found ourselves probably in all the games, even at the moment, with makeshift sort of back-lines. So I think that has played a big part in it as well."
Is it a case of just getting that first point or that first win on the board? And then building very much from now onwards?
"I think we have to look at it that way. But also the challenge is for us to keep, you know, aiming at the top. That's what we want to do. But at the moment we've got a job to do, we've got to try and win, win the next game, which is always the most important thing. And we'll try and do that at Villa."
You said your aims for the season as a whole, and it was still very early days, are towards the top six, potentially the top four, is that still very much the aim right now?
"I wouldn't see any reason why we wouldn't. I think we've got a group of players who can do that. And we're willing to try and make that happen again."
As for Aston Villa, what do you make of their start of the season and what are you expecting from Steven Gerrard's side?
"I think Aston Villa got a really good side. I've been saying this for a few years. I think they've bought good players. I think they've got a good team. I think they've got some really, really talented players at the club. So I think Villa will have a good season of it. No doubt about that. But we have to be able to try and go there and win myself so we'll see how it goes."
It doesn't get any easier. You got Spurs and then Chelsea looming on the horizon. With that in mind, how much of a reaction do you feel you want from your players this weekend to take forward into those games?
"Well, I can't think about them until I get this one out the way. We got to do the Aston Villa game first. So first and foremost, concentrating on that, try and get a good victory. Try and get good performance, which I've mentioned would be good. So that's my first aim."
This time next week the transfer window will be closed. How do you think you'll be feeling, will be maybe a sense of relief that you know who and what you'll be working with the rest of the season at least until January?
"A little bit. I think we will. l I think we'll all be pretty glad when the sort of madness behind the scenes stops. But overall, we're getting a group put together. It's taking a little bit longer than we'd like but quite often if you look at the history of teams in the UK, a lot of the transfers are done late. That's why we have a day on Sky with yellow ties and all the stuff on transfer day and everybody quite enjoys it. But hopefully we will be ready and once we get everybody signed up we'll get things going again."
Do you enjoy that madness?
"I think a little bit but I've had a lot last minute day deals I should say but ideally it's not the way you should do it. Ideally you've hopefully planned and are organised but it looks like us Brits don't do that quite as well as maybe some of the other countries."
So back in Europe again, which means you nnow, you've got at least another six fixtures on top of everything. Are you looking forward to that?
"Very much so. I mean, I'm complaining a wee bit about the Thursday-Sunday because you know, I know the difficulty it can bring but overall I'm really pleased that we're back in Europe again. Two years in a row for West Ham to be in Europe. The supporters get a chance to go abroad and get to games. And after the journey last year, I think they'll have a lot of sort of hope that we'll do something similar again. I hope we're able to do it. We've actually got I would look at a pretty difficult draw probably in the group at the moment, but we'll see."
Do Premier League managers need pressure to do their job successfully?
"Yeah, I think we sort of need the pressure. You need the adrenaline rush, from it. But I've got to say it's a tough job for the Premier League managers. I've done over 1,000 games now and it requires a lot of effort and a lot of work into it. All. But I think that when you're being successful, which means more games, like European games means more preparation, getting your teams ready, you know, more work to prepare yourself for it. So it takes a lot out of you. And that's why you know, we've just got to be careful that we don't overdo the players. And, and obviously the managers as well. The managers need to have a bit of a break from it as well."
As a manager, you've managed over 1,000 games. This will actually be West Ham's 1,000th game in the Premier League. You haven't been here for all, you must be incredibly proud of what you've done during your time here.
"Look, I'm really pleased how we've brought the club on over the last two and a half years. I think that if you'd said to me this when I came in, I said would have said: 'No you're kidding, I don't think we'll do as well as that.' But we've really knuckled down. We've kept at it. The players have been fantastic. And the club as well. I think the club have grown with it as well. And I think we're trying to be one of the big clubs. We weren't even a big club in the transfer market. We want to be a big club with the amount of supporters we bring into the stadium. So we're doing a lot of things really, really well off the pitch. The club does brilliant work in the community. Really does in the east end of London. So I think there's a lot of things which are going well. But ultimately, what's really important is the results on the football pitch drive it all. We need to make sure that we get those results better."
As has been already mentioned after that it is then Tottenham, Chelsea, and Newcastle so the opponents don't get any easier, so I wonder does the slow start to the season feel like more cause for concern?
"Well, I think all those teams will be saying we've got West Ham to play that's not an easy game. It's not been an easy game for the last few years and hopefully we continue to make it that way. So there's another side to it. But yeah, we have to get out performances better to get our results better. And actually think the Premier League, it's such a level now, it's hardly a game in it where you would say this looks as if you've got a chance of winning. I've not thought that for a long time. But certainly recently I think it's become much much more competitive in the games and games are all very close."
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