David Moyes praises UEFA for giving a chance to ‘different level of team’ after West Ham achievement
West Ham boss David Moyes has claimed the Europa Conference League is a good opportunity for a “different level of team” to win European silverware, as he sends a message to clubs competing in continental competition.
The boss detailed the emotions of winning the tournament last season and referenced Jose Mourinho who was equally emotional when his Roma side won it the year prior to the Hammers.
Moyes also praised UEFA for introducing the competition, which has given a chance to teams who don’t necessarily have the quality to compete for the Champions League to win European silverware.
Speaking to talkSPORT on 12 September, Moyes discussed the competition with Ally McCoist, where the latter suggested: “I am of the opinion that clubs like West Ham, whether it be Brighton, even Rangers and Celtic, have no chance of winning the Champions League. Certainly Rangers and Celtic in the current climate.
“But that tournament now that you have put it on the map, you saw how much it meant to the West Ham supporters.”
The West Ham boss responded by admitting: “I agree with everything you are saying, Coisty.
“To be a European winner is something really special. The night was magical for us and for us to score in the last minute makes it even better. I look the year before what it meant to Jose Mourinho, they (Roma) were the first winners of the competition. Jose has been a serial winner and how much it meant to him.
“The Conference League this year will be incredibly difficult to win. And yes, I agree, the Champions League is so elite and to be able to beat Man City or Inter Milan, it takes some doing nowadays.
“But the Conference League might give you a chance and UEFA have done a good job in getting a third competition out there which can involve a different level of team.”
A good opportunity for a new team to achieve greatness
Moyes and McCoist are correct, it would be a near-impossible task for the likes of West Ham, Brighton, Celtic or Rangers to win the Champions League when they’re competing with the likes of Manchester City, but the Conference League could give them a chance.
The initial decision to create a third European competition was met with scepticism, but the emotional displays by both winners so far in Roma and West Ham have shown it provides an opportunity for sides who normally wouldn’t be able to compete at this level.
Even managers as revered as Jose Mourinho have been pushed to tears by what is ultimately a European title, one of the biggest achievements you can reach in football, regardless of the level.
For this reason, the competition itself has become ultra-competitive. Teams see it as an opportunity to win silverware, and so go all-out in their pursuit of victory where otherwise they may have fielded a rotated side or rested key players.
In other West Ham news, a possible January exit is on the cards for one player after Moyes shared his stance.