Krisztián Hegyi has called on West Ham United U21s to stay positive and focus on taking their opportunities after a disappointing 2022/23 Premier League 2 opener.
The Irons opened the new campaign with a 3-1 lost to newly-promoted Fulham at Motspur Park on Friday, but Hegyi noted that there were positives in the performance.
The goalkeeper was pleased to see the side create so many chances and feels the side needs to focus on remaining positive.
“It’s a disappointing start to the season,” The Hungarian youngster told whufc.com. “It is the way it is, and we need to keep our heads up and try to go again, and get the win in the next one.
“After we scored, it felt like we could go and get another but we didn’t put our foot on the gas. Because we didn’t, they continued to have chances and then they got a third. The game was done at that point.”
Hegyi was given the captaincy for Friday’s fixture, having also worn the armband during pre-season for the development team, and the shot-stopper is relishing the added responsibility within the U21s.
“I’m enjoying the responsibility. It’s a massive, proud moment for me to captain this side. I want to take more responsibility for the team, both on and off the pitch, and I’m really proud to do that.”
Mark Robson’s young Irons will face Arsenal on Friday in their first home match of the new campaign, and Hegyi says the team needs to ensure more chances are converted in order to get points on the board.
He added: “I feel like we created so, so many chances against Fulham but we just couldn’t take them. For one reason or another, we struggled to put the ball into the net. It’s something we have to work on when we get back on the training pitch. I feel we will take our chances in coming games.
“Going into Arsenal, we need to take our chances. We made a couple of sloppy mistakes at the back as well against Fulham so I think we need to be really on it in training and against Arsenal next week.”
