- West Ham United begin UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign on Thursday
- Hammers warmed up with 3-0 win over Karlsruher SC in Austria on Saturday
- Manager Bilic pleased with preparation work over pre-season
For the second year in succession, the Hammers will start their season earlier than any of their Premier League rivals due to a participation in European competition.
With their first competitive game coming a little over two weeks before the top flight kicks-off, Bilic says the pre-season work has been different to normal.
But following Saturday’s 3-0 win over Karlsruher SC, in which Andy Carroll and summer signings Sofiane Feghouli and Ashley Fletcher hit the target, the manager says the Hammers are ready for the challenge laid down by NK Domzale.
“We are happy with our preparations,” he said, “We have done everything that wanted to do, but still we have to make a balance in our preparations to compromise some things because the competitive games don’t start on 15 August, they start on Thursday.
“It’s not ideal but I’m really pleased with the way we’ve trained.
“We are still expecting a few players to come back, those who have been playing in the European Championships.
“If we continue to work hard like this, with dedication and humility, we can expect good things."