Academy Manager & Head of Coaching and Player Development Terry Westley is set to play an important role in Thursday's game
West Ham United Academy Manager & Head of Coaching and Player Development Terry Westley is set to play a key role in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League first qualifying round first leg against FC Lusitans of Andorra.
Westley took training as a mixture of senior professionals and Development Squad players prepared for the season opener on a week-long training camp in Ireland, with new manager Slaven Bilic linking up with the squad last Friday.
The squad of players for Thursday’s game returned to Chadwell Heath on Monday while Bilic has remained in Cork as the remaining senior players arrive for their own start to pre-season.
Westley will be in the dugout on Thursday but Bilic will fly back to London to watch on as his team begin their European adventure at the Boleyn Ground.
Westley explained: “First of all I’d like to welcome the new manager and his staff to the Club. When there was a change in management at the end of last season and we knew that we had qualified for Europe, we couldn’t just sit back and not do anything. We had to put plans in place.
“With the other senior staff, we’ve done that looking towards the European fixture so early, and great credit to those staff. It will be a privilege and an honour to play a role on Thursday, and when you think the game will be a sell-out it shows that it has caught the imagination of everyone.
“I see my role as helping Slaven integrate with the group and the team, making that transition as smooth as possible and he will come back for the game on Thursday. He’s the manager.
“He’s very interested in seeing some of the younger players and he’s also got some senior players in this team, who will be part of his squad that he’ll want to keep a close eye on. He will be with the team and in the dressing room and a big part of what we’re trying to do on Thursday.
“We’re doing all we can to support him and our job is to get over the first qualifying round. With the manager integrating his staff and senior players who are in Ireland, that’s a win-win. We need to make the integration as seamless as possible.”
Westley took training as a mixture of senior professionals and Development Squad players prepared for the season opener on a week-long training camp in Ireland, with new manager Slaven Bilic linking up with the squad last Friday.
The squad of players for Thursday’s game returned to Chadwell Heath on Monday while Bilic has remained in Cork as the remaining senior players arrive for their own start to pre-season.
Westley will be in the dugout on Thursday but Bilic will fly back to London to watch on as his team begin their European adventure at the Boleyn Ground.
Westley explained: “First of all I’d like to welcome the new manager and his staff to the Club. When there was a change in management at the end of last season and we knew that we had qualified for Europe, we couldn’t just sit back and not do anything. We had to put plans in place.
“With the other senior staff, we’ve done that looking towards the European fixture so early, and great credit to those staff. It will be a privilege and an honour to play a role on Thursday, and when you think the game will be a sell-out it shows that it has caught the imagination of everyone.
“I see my role as helping Slaven integrate with the group and the team, making that transition as smooth as possible and he will come back for the game on Thursday. He’s the manager.
“He’s very interested in seeing some of the younger players and he’s also got some senior players in this team, who will be part of his squad that he’ll want to keep a close eye on. He will be with the team and in the dressing room and a big part of what we’re trying to do on Thursday.
“We’re doing all we can to support him and our job is to get over the first qualifying round. With the manager integrating his staff and senior players who are in Ireland, that’s a win-win. We need to make the integration as seamless as possible.”